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How to Visit the Sensational Villa Ephrussi on the French Riviera

How to Visit the Sensational Villa Ephrussi on the French Riviera

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a hidden gem in the exclusive area of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. It overlooks the azure waters of the Mediterranean and is a must-visit landmark on the French Riviera.

A visit to the sensational Villa Ephrussi makes the perfect day trip from Nice or Monaco.

You can also visit the enchanting hilltop village of Eze along the way to Villa Ephrussi.

By doing this, you could combine the hustle and bustle of the city with an enchanting hillside village and a decadent French villa. A great way to see different places on the French Riviera in a day.

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How to reach Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

The property and gardens are located 10 kilometres from Nice and Monaco.

By Train: The nearest station is Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, after which a taxi would be the easiest option.

By Car: A car park is available at the property, and road access is by the lower cliff road.

If arriving from Eze, a taxi would be advisable as the route is difficult by public transport.

Opening hours of Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

The good news is that the gardens are open 365 days a year throughout the changing seasons.

Open daily from 10 a.m to 6 p.m, apart from the long summer months of July and August when they shut at 7 p.m.

In the winter months of November through to January, it opens for the shorter hours of 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., and the tea rooms are open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday and from 11 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on weekends and bank holidays.

The last admission is 30 minutes before closing time.

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild History

Constructed between 1905 and 1912 for Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild following her divorce in 1904 from Baron Maurice Ephrussi.

It took seven years to complete due to Beatrice’s ever-changing demands on how she wanted it to look.

Maurice Ephrussi, 15 years her senior, gambled away his wealth and passed an illness on to the Baroness.

These health complications resulted in her being unable to conceive a child, and in 1904, a year before the villa’s construction, they divorced.

When her father, of the Rothschild banking dynasty, died in 1905, he left her his fortune, which enabled her to start constructing the Renaissance-style villa.

Beatrice created a private zoo within the gardens containing exotic animals from around the world. She used the villa until she died in the 1930s, after which it was bequeathed to the Institute of France as a fine art museum.

Villa Ephrussi in the 21st Century

Today the villa emits a happy and carefree vibe with its pink and white facade, ponds, fountains and well-kept gardens.

Its pathways meander around the rocky landscape it is built upon and allow 360-degree views of the coastline.

Inspired by Beatrice’s travels, nine different gardens give the garden colour and interest. There is a diverse range of planting from flowers to cacti and palm trees to grasses.

Woman standing by a pond surrounded by trees

Dancing Fountains and Gardens 

A highlight of the visit is to see the magical water fountains in the French garden come alive.

Every twenty minutes, they dance to the sound of classical music, and the backdrop of the pastel-pink villa almost makes you want to twirl your way around the gardens.

It is such a pretty and photogenic place to visit that you won’t want to leave. If you head to the classical temple at the top of the French garden, it makes an enchanting point to view the Villa Ephrussi.

Lunch at the Villa Ephrussi

Before you look around the villa, you can enjoy lunch and refreshments in Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild’s original dining room.

The delicious food and the unrestricted view of the Bay of Villefranche are fabulous.

If you are lucky enough to get an inside window seat, you will be the envy of all and in the summer months, enjoy refreshments on the terrace underneath the orange trees.

Take a look inside the Villa Ephrussi

Inside the villa, you can admire the artwork, including furniture, tapestries, and porcelain, that the Baroness had collected over her lifetime.

Wander through her private quarters and imagine what it would have been like to live there.

Head to the upstairs balcony, look out over the gardens and water features and take away memories of your visit to the beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.

Please Pin for Future Travel to France

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Christy

Friday 3rd of April 2020

What a magical place to be in. Love the touch of history on your post.

WhereAngieWanders

Friday 3rd of April 2020

It was such a pretty place

Karthika

Thursday 9th of January 2020

This looks like such a beautiful villa and those gardens are so pretty! How long did the whole tour and trip take?

WhereAngieWanders

Thursday 9th of January 2020

It takes about 2 hours to visit the villa and have lunch. If you also visit the village of EZE nearby I would add another few hours on. You can reach both quite easily from Nice which is where we stayed for 3 nights.

Andrew

Tuesday 24th of December 2019

What a fantastic villa

WhereAngieWanders

Saturday 4th of April 2020

This is a test reply. Thank you

Slavka

Friday 13th of December 2019

I love visiting castles palaces, and this beautiful villa would be a pleasure to see. Thanks for the practical info and inspiration :)

WhereAngieWanders

Friday 13th of December 2019

You are welcome ! It is situated in such a beautiful part of the world.

Sue Davies

Thursday 12th of December 2019

Lovely post. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is beautiful. Beatrice Rothschild's history is interesting as are the Rothschild family.

WhereAngieWanders

Thursday 12th of December 2019

It was such a lovely day when we visited and no crowds !