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    Ella Fitzgerald’s Former Hotel Suite on the French Riviera Is Now a $9.7 Million Apartment

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    American songstress Ella Fitzgerald, who sang for several U.S. presidents, was known to occasionally take a breather at the iconic Le Provençal hotel in Cap d’Antibes, and the fourth-floor suite where she once gave an impromptu performance from the window can now be yours. Made over into a brand-new turnkey apartment, the $9.7 million (€7.75 million) pad is inspired by the Riviera’s golden years, says the building’s developer, Caudwell.

    In addition to the First Lady of Song, other global sensations like Pablo Picasso and Coco Chanel booked rooms at Le Provençal since the late 1920s. The illustrious destination closed in 1977 and sat dormant until English billionaire John Caudwell acquired it in 2014.

    The main living area spills onto a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

    Caudwell

    Following an over $400 million renovation (£300 million plus gross development value), the former landmark hotel now houses 35 private residences. The new Ella Fitzgerald-inspired show apartment is “the latest in a collection of furnished residences we have unveiled,” explains Caudwell’s group director of sales, Lars Christiaanse, in a statement.

    Stunning views accompany the three bedrooms and spacious living areas in this fully furnished, 2,180-square-foot residence. Owners and their guests get even better vantages of the yacht-laced coastline from its generous terraces and covered loggia that total another 562 square feet. 

    Left to right: American singer Ella Fitzgerald arriving in Nice; Fitzgerald performing at the jazz festival in Antibes, July 1964.

    Getty Images

    “The newly unveiled show apartment is a striking mixture of vibrancy and understated elegance,” Caudwell states, “paying homage to the ‘Golden Years’, the renowned Jazz Festival and the illustrious musical career and huge cultural impact of Ella Fitzgerald.” A warm color palette, gold accents, and contemporary art are a few key details throughout the home.

    Other inspired design cues throughout the apartment include purple/dark gold bedroom cushions, plus cream sofas and a wooden dining table that are meant to reflect Fitzgerald’s “down-to-earth” persona. Coffered ceilings span the living room, just ahead of the dining room and a kitchen with timber cabinetry, Miele appliances, and a massive marble island. All three living areas provide breezy sea vistas and open out to sunlit terraces.

    RELATED: Inside a $22 Million Belle Époque Villa With Sweeping Views of the French Riviera

    Inside one of the en suite bedrooms.

    Caudwell

    The en suite primary and guest bedroom are accessed down a hallway nearby. Each includes a marble-finished bathroom, custom vanities, walk-in dressing rooms, and terrace access. Elsewhere, the third bedroom doubles as a study. Le Provençal also grants owners access to a host of public areas with Art Deco flair, including a cinema, health spa, restaurant, retail boutiques, and six acres of landscaped gardens where a 98-foot swimming pool cool off in proximity to Hôtel Belles Rives’s beach club.

    Fitzgerald first stayed at Le Provençal for the first time in 1960, when she performed at the inauguration of the Festival Jazz à Juan in nearby Juan-les-Pins. It was in 1963 she sang from her hotel window, and she appeared at the festival again in both 1964 and 1967.

    Click here for more photos of the Côte d’Azur apartment.

    Caudwell

    Authors

    Demetrius Simms

    Demetrius Simms is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. Following a brief stint in public relations, their work has now appeared in lifestyle and culture publications such as Men’s Health, Complex…

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      Sean Connery’s Former Villa on the French Riviera Lists for $26.5 Million

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      Perched above the sparkling shores of the Mediterranean in Nice, an Art Deco villa fit for 007 himself is now on the market at €23.5 million (or about $26.5 million). 

      Built in 1930 and infused with quintessential French Riviera glamour, the cliffside estate’s most legendary claim to fame is one of its former owners. That’s right, Sean Connery, the original British secret agent in the enduring film franchise, and his wife, Micheline Roquebrune, called this seaside sanctuary home during the 1970s and ’80s. The current owners picked up the property in 2015 for an undisclosed amount and have given it a top-to-bottom renovation, according to Mansion Global. This isn’t, however, their first time at the rodeo—the villa was on the market back in late 2020 for €30 million (about $34 million). 

      Officially named Villa Roc Fleuri, locals simply refer to it as the “Bond Villa,” according to Savills agent Chuck McKee—and it’s easy to see why. With cinematic charm baked into every stone, the property feels like something straight out of a spy thriller.

      RELATED: Jean Nouvel Designed This $40 Million Home on the French Riviera to Disappear Into the Landscape

      Positioned above the seafront at the base of Mont Boron, the Art Deco villa offers views toward Cap d’Antibes.

      Hr-Photographe-Immobilier; Savills

      The main house, carved into the hillside, sprawls over 10,000 square feet and is pure Old-World elegance with modern polish. Think intricate wood paneling, wrought-iron staircases, mosaic inlays, and detailed ceiling moldings. And for a touch of historic charm, the original elevator cabin remains fully intact and operational.

      Designed to embrace the stunning vistas, the villa sports a grand dining room that flows seamlessly onto an expansive terrace, both served by a professional-grade kitchen and a wine cellar fit for a secret agent’s private collection. And on the rooftop terrace, complete with a barbecue area, is what Savills calls the most spectacular view in Nice—and frankly, they’re not wrong. 

      As is befitting a movie star or international secret agent, the primary suite takes up the entire top floor with two en-suite bathrooms and custom walk-in closets. Below are three guest suites, a study, a fifth bedroom, plus a separate caretaker’s apartment. There’s also a second villa at the entrance, divided into two private guest apartments—because Bond never travels without backup. . 

      RELATED: This $9 Million Villa on the French Riviera Is Perched Above France’s Cap de Nice

      The villa’s spa area includes a indoor heated infinity pool overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

      Hr-Photographe-Immobilier; Savills

      There is no question that Bond (and probably Connery) would appreciate some of the modern updates to the nearly 100-year-old home. A lavish spa area includes a gym and a heated indoor infinity pool that appears to melt into the Mediterranean. Manicured lawns, garden paths, and a massive stone staircase meander down a steep incline below the house, where there’s private, gated access to the rocky shoreline. Also on offer? An adjacent three-bedroom villa with a circular seaside pool—perfect if you need additional space for guests or a little more room for your entourage. 

      Turns out, Villa Roc Fleuri wasn’t Connery’s only French hideaway. In 1979, he bought Domaine de Terre Blanche, a château in Tourrettes about 45 minutes from Nice. He held onto it for nearly 20 years before selling it to German billionaire Dietmar Hopp, who later turned it into a luxury golf resort. The Scottish actor and Roquebrune lived primarily in the Bahamas at the time of his death in 2020.

      Click here to see more photos of Villa Roc Fleuri. 

      Hr-Photographe-Immobilier; Savills

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      Estée Lauder’s Former Vacation Home in Cannes Just Listed for $8.7 Million

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      Two decades after Estée Lauder’s death, the late cosmetic mogul’s “favorite vacation home” in Cannes is up for grabs. The French Riviera is, of course, synonymous with the perfume industry, and, interestingly, Lauder’s former summer home is where the savvy American businesswoman created some of her famous fragrances.

      On the market with Hamptons for £6.7 million (or roughly $8.7 million), the stately villa is nestled on Avenue du Roi Albert in La Californie, an exclusive residential enclave in the city’s Alpes-Maritimes region. According to the listing, Estée and her late husband, Joseph, bought the palatial property together back in 1961. The self-made beauty magnate held onto the place until 2004, the same year she passed away at the age of 97. 

      There are views of the Mediterranean Sea from every level of the house.

      Hamptons

      RELATED: A Historic French Villa That Once Hosted Grace Kelly Just Listed for $8.6 Million 

      The next owners purchased the sun-filled pad from the Lauder’s children shortly after and put the place through a thoughtful renovation. During the remodel, they stumbled upon some of Estée’s old documents, including a letter from Stanley Marcus, the founder of Neiman Marcus.

      The villa dates back to 1926 and today comprises six bedrooms and six bathrooms in 4,305 square feet. Internally, you’ll find spacious living areas, a stunning primary suite, a marble and wood-clad kitchen, and a home office. There are sweeping Mediterranean Sea views from every level. Outside, the landscaped grounds are decked out with formal gardens, plus a covered patio and a heated swimming pool.

      The grounds feature a heated swimming pool.

      Hamptons

      RELATED: This $51 Million Belle Époque-Style Château Overlooks the Côte d’Azur  

      The leafy La Californie neighborhood has no shortage of high-end digs, with mansions ranging from $5 million to a whopping $35 million. Positioned on the “colline des milliardaires” or “billionaire’s hill,” the enclave is minutes from the historic city center and the area’s best beaches and luxury boutiques. Pablo Picasso famously lived here at his artist retreat, dubbed Villa La Californie, from 1955 to 1961. More recently, the neighborhood and the wider region have drawn a fair share of tech titans, private equity bigwigs and big pharma billionaires.

      Estée co-founded her eponymous empire in 1946 with Joseph. The New York-based company is known for its portfolio of skincare products, makeup, and fragrances and now oversees brands like La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and Clinique. In 2022, Estée Lauder acquired the Tom Ford brand in a $2.8 billion deal. More recently, the company announced that it had finalized the purchase of Deciem Beauty, which owns The Ordinary. 

      Click here to see more photos of Estée Lauder’s former villa in Cannes.

      Hamptons

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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      A Historic French Villa That Once Hosted Grace Kelly Just Listed for $8.6 Million

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      A French villa near Nice where Grace Kelly, the late Princess of Monaco, used to vacation is up grabs. However, this isn’t the first time that the palatial property has been on the market.  

      Dubbed Les Moulins du Villars, the Provence-Alpes Cote d’Azur residence was listed for a whopping $12.5 million back in August 2023. After failing to find a buyer, the estate is now back up for sale six months later at a discounted €7.95 million (or roughly $8.5 million) with Jack Harris of Knight Frank. The home itself, which was originally built way back in the 14th century as an olive oil and flour mill, has been completely transformed in the years since. The swanky spread was renovated in the ‘70s by Count Jean Fernand Joseph Gouin de Roumilly and entirely rebuilt over a decade ago in 2012. In 1980, Princess Grace was reported to have frequented the property with her daughter, Princess Caroline. The Hollywood starlet later died in a car accident in 1982. 

      A 14th-century olive oil mill in France that was converted into a lavish estate is back on the market.

      Knight Frank

      Located on the French Riveria in the village of Gilette, the digs measure 6,000 square feet and there are seven bedrooms split between the main dwelling and guest house. The roughly five-acre property also holds a slew of modern comforts too—though, you wouldn’t assume it based on its medieval surroundings. There’s an elevator, a tennis court that doubles as a helipad or soccer pitch, a wine cellar, and a fitness studio. At the same time, dotting the grounds are tons of citrus and olive trees, two vegetable gardens, a Koi pond, and a natural spring that, according to the listing, “is believed by locals to possess healing properties, historically making the mill a pilgrimage site and sanctuary for treating chronic ailments.” 

      The residence was a frequent hideaway for Grace Kelly, the late Princess of Monaco.

      Knight Frank

      Spanning four stories, the manse is made from local, indigenous stone and is decked out with original period furnishings and bespoke artwork. Another design detail is a glass-encased wrought iron wheel that was replaced in 2012. Inside, there’s essentially double of everything—two living rooms, two kitchens. However, there’s only one media room. Outside, the lot features several outbuildings, including a ruin that has been recently restored and a heated infinity pool that overlooks the picturesque Latti Valley. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Grace Kelly’s vacation villa. 

      Knight Frank

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, dining, travel and topics…

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      In the South of France, a Former Home of Charles de Gaulle Charges Onto the Market

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      A hillside estate along the Côte d’Azur that was once home to Charles de Gaulle has hit the market for $30 million. The decorated military officer and statesman, who served as President of France from 1959-69 and died in 1970, occupied the property in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, between Nice and Monaco, shortly after WWII. Indeed, as the story goes, he wrote his famous speech about the liberation of France while staying here.

      The 1.2-acre spread sits behind imposing gates in the rocky foothills that rise above the charming seaside commune. Indeed, the house is just a block from the wealthy resort village’s main square, Place du General de Gaulle. Though he’d likely recognize the estate’s various Tudor-style outbuildings, it’s unlikely de Gaulle would recognize the main residence today, as it’s been transformed into a glass-walled contemporary villa that is now for sale with an asking price of $30 million. The property is represented by Andrea Wohl Lucas at Douglas Elliman.

      With its contemporary updates, it’s unlikely de Gaulle would recognize the Tudor home today.

      Just inside the gates, there’s a carriage house and a parking area. A cobblestone drive sweeps up the hill, through professionally lighted and landscaped grounds, to the front of the approximately 11,000-square-foot residence. An elevator services all three floors of the home, which has nine ensuite bedrooms and a total of 11 bathrooms.

      Glass towers, one of which houses a floating staircase, flank the glass front door. There are wood floors and floor-to-ceiling picture windows in a trio of reception rooms, including an enormous living room that overlooks the pool and a spacious formal dining room with built-in cabinets for linen and tableware storage. According to listings, there are two state-of-the-art kitchens on the main floor.

      Curtain walls of glass overlooking the mosaic-tile pool fill the house with natural light.

      All nine of the bedrooms are on the upper two floors, each with extensive storage, a dressing room, and a private bath. The principal suite spans nearly 1,000 square feet and includes two dressing rooms and a large bathroom, while a penthouse-level guest bedroom is housed within an all-glass aerie that opens to a private terrace with gorgeous coastline views.

      There’s a large terrace for relaxing and entertaining, a mosaic-tiled zero-edge swimming pool for cooling off, and meandering, impeccably maintained grounds that have a stunning lighting program. In addition to the main house, the property includes caretaker’s accommodations and several studios for guests or household staff. 

      Click here for more photos of 20 Avenue Déroulède. More

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      Grace Kelly Vacationed at This Historic French Riviera Villa. Now It Can Be Yours.

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      Always wanted to live like royalty? Now’s your chance, because the picturesque villa where the late Princess Grace of Monaco loved to blissfully while away her days has just popped up for sale.

      Known as “Les Moulins du Villars,” and nestled on a 5-acre parcel in the village of Gilette on the French Riviera, between Nice and Monaco, this stunning estate is now on the market for $12.5 million (€11.5 million) with Peter Illovsky of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Especially charmed by a presentation of locally made cheeses and olive oil on one of her first trips to the historic villa with her daughter Princess Caroline in 1980, the Oscar-winning actress befriended the owners and returned alone several times before her September 1982 death in a car accident at age 52. She even donated two statues that are still on display today.

      This antique water mill wheel stationed in a living room is powered by one of the property’s streams.

      Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty

      Originally built in the 14th century as an olive oil and flour mill, and resting amid a nature reserve aside the shores of the Latti River, the property was transformed into a luxe retreat by Count Jean Fernand Joseph Gouin de Roumilly in the late 1970s. The deed has changed hands in the years since, with the most recent owners acquiring the place in 2006 and subsequently giving the main villa an extensive renovation.

      Spanning four stories and around 6,000 square feet of living space, the seven-bedroom main house is highlighted by an elevator to all levels, plus living and dining areas linked by a vintage working water mill wheel encased in glass, two kitchens, an office, a media room, wine cellar and laundry room.

      A heated infinity pool rests beside an open-air cabana outfitted with an inviting living room.

      Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty

      Outdoors, the grounds are laced with olive, fruit and cypress trees, and host a heated infinity pool flanked by an open-air cabana, as well as two vegetable gardens, a greenhouse, gym and tennis court that doubles as a helipad. There’s also a two-room guesthouse, four-car garage and partially restored ruin dating from Roman times that serves as an event space.

      Click here for more photos of Les Moulins du Villars. More

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      Roman Abramovich’s French Riviera Mansion Was Just Seized by Authorities

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      Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is hemorrhaging assets amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

      The reputed Vladimir Putin ally, who was sanctioned by the UK, the EU and Canada in March in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has just had 12 of his prized Gallic properties seized by French authorities. Among them is an historic villa situated in one of the most prestigious parts of the French Riviera.

      Dating back to 1926, the storied Château de la Croë once belonged to the former King of England Edward VIII and American socialite Wallis Simpson. Fit for royalty—the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, specifically—the palatial abode sits on 12 lush acres just a few feet from the Mediterranean sea. Inside, it offers 12 bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a spate of royally good amenities.

      Château de la Croë was once owned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. 

      Leslie Priest/AP

      Abramovich purchased the château from an unknown party in 2001, before spending a reported $40 million on renovations to add a rooftop swimming pool, gym and cinema. The lavish pad is reportedly now estimated to be worth around $117 million.
      French authorities have also seized the oligarch’s estate on St. Barts, condos in Paris and villas in Nice. The total value of his seized properties is in the ballpark of $340 million, according to Forbes.

      Abramovich reportedly spent $40 million renovating the French château. 

      Wikimedia Commons

      The move was part of a major operation that has seen more than $26 billion worth of cash, properties, yachts, helicopters and other assets belonging to sanctioned Russians confiscated or frozen in recent weeks, according to France’s Economy and Finance Ministry.
      Abramovich, who is believe to be a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been a major target of Western sanctions. So far, he has been forced to sell his London soccer team Chelsea and has sent his two prized superyachts to the Mediterranean to avoid seizure. Not to mention, the island nation of Jersey, part of the Channel Islands, froze $7 billion worth of his assets this week. More