July 2024
Visit to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and Gardens – Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France
One of the best attractions on St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is the exquisite Villa Ephrussi Rothschild and Gardens. I originally was not sure we were going to be able to make it during our French Riviera trip but due to a change in scheduling, we had an afternoon free to visit the Villa. I am so glad our plans worked out this way as the Villa is a must see when exploring the French Riviera.
The Villa Ephrussi Rothschild was built and loved by Béatrice de Rothschild, picking the location for her villa due to the beautifully situation plot of land atop a hill with panoramic views of the ocean on St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. And who could blame her – this was prime real estate and the absolute perfect stop for a home. On four hectares of land, the construction started in 1905 and took seven years to complete with even more time to complete the lush gardens. Besides just visiting the home and gardens, on display are all of Béatrice’s collections of which there were many – porcelain, art work, rugs, and so much more.
Open all year round, you can purchase tickets online in advance or on site which is what we did for our visit since it was unexpected and we had no issues. At the time of our visit, it was 17 euro a person. There is also a free audio guide available so definitely grab a set before you start exploring – I was disappointed we did not take advantage during our visit. I think I overlooked it since I could not imagine there was that much to do or see and I was very wrong.
Getting to the Villa is easy with three options:
- Take a ride share (Bolt) or cab, or self drive if you have a car
- Take a train though this will require a long walk
- Take the bus (#15) which drops you off right in front of the Villa
From the bus stop, as soon as we climbed up we could not believe the stunning view – we had not even gone inside yet and we were already blown away.
After getting our tickets, we studied the map and made our decision to explore the villa first then then gardens. The villa is Italian inspired giving Florence and Venice vibes.
Upon walking in, there is an open space in the middle and then the rooms around the perimeter for two floors. The first floor had all the lounging and entertaining rooms where the second floor had the bedrooms. Our favorite part of the house was a sitting room on the first floor that had floor to ceiling windows over the water. Throughout the space the various Béatrice collections were displayed. Do not miss the short film on the second floor that goes through the history on the villa and life in the early 1900s which is so fascinating. I absolutely loved the black and white footage, the clothing, the buildings – it is so fun.
When we turned a corner on the second floor, our jaws dropped as we approached the outdoor terrace that overlooked the incredible French Garden with sweeping views of the ocean. It was at this point we noticed the choreographed music and water fountains. We could not wait to start exploring the gardens.
There are nine gardens to explore – do not stop at the first garden you see (which is most likely the French Garden) and spend time going through all of them as they are all spectacular.
- French Garden: The main garden directly behind the villa that has a long pond with water features that dance to music – an aquatic ballet – that plays every 20 minutes. The structure is meant to mimic that of a ship’s deck and this is truly a grand garden.
- Spanish Garden: The garden to the right of the entrance to the villa filled with overhangs, vines, ponds, and beautiful flowers in bloom.
- Florentine Garden: Centered by a grand marble staircase.
- Stone Garden: This garden was under renovation during our visit
- Japanese Garden: As is typical for any Japanese garden, you will find bamboo, accents of wood, ponds, and koi.
- Exotic Garden: Full of succulents and cacti that certainly have an exotic feel compared to the other gardens.
- Rose Garden: No garden is complete without a proper rose garden. And this one has a particularly nice view atop the hill.
- Provençal Garden: Lavendar plants and olive trees give a nod to the Provençal life.
This entire place is a photographer’s dream and during our visit, mostly every flower was in peak bloom. Make sure to really take your time and enjoy some of the best view points of the French Riviera coastline along with the gardens. Enjoy my photo journal of our visit!
When visiting St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, I highly recommend a visit to Villa Ephrussi Rothschild and Gardens during your trip. We ended up spending an hour and a half exploring the villa and grounds. It is a unique attraction that offers so much, including beautiful views and a step back in time.
Continue reading about our trip in Nice here!
Read all blog posts for French Riviera here!
See our complete itinerary here!
Planning your own trip? Read the Perfect Itinerary for French Riviera here!
Review our complete carry-on packing here!
Discover more from DESKRIB
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
