Amazing location
The beautiful attractions of Cap Ferrat located in the southeastern part of France on the peninsula is a tranquil, but stunningly beautiful place to go on your next vacation. European aristocrats and millionaires from around the globe have used it as their favorite destination for decades thanks to its natural beauty and perfectly warm climates. The history of the was first settled by the ancient Celto- Ligurian tribes and was then taken by the Lombards tribe during the 6th century. Today, the city with a population of roughly 2,000-3,000 people is beginning to flourish more than ever. The comfortable climates, with gentle winds and usually sunny skies, it is a perfect spot to not only vacation but to go on a photo tour to capture the astounding scenery that is found on the excluded island.
Constructed between 1905 and 1912, The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is located on the stunning Cap Ferrat island. This Villa overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and is a mansion that has collections of antique furniture, paintings, and sculptures that are equally as priceless and breathtaking as the mansion itself. After the first owner, Baron and Baroness Maurice de Ephrussi had both passed away, they donated the spectacular property and everything in it to the Academie des Beaux Arts at the Institute of France, and it now stays open to the public and serves a multitude of purposes for people from historical tours, luxury vacations, to travel photography tours.
Photograph the villa
If you go to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on a photo trip, one of their feature places to see is the gardens on the surrounding property. The Villa has nine different gardens each with a different theme ranging with flowers from across the world: Florentine, Japan, Spain, and stone gardens, a rose garden, and more.
All nine of the gardens underwent creation in 1905 under the direction of master landscape architect, Achille Duchene. Originally the garden was made in the form of a ship and was to created so that the original owners could view it from the loggia of the mansion, which is similar to the bridge of a large sea vessel. When they viewed it from that angle, the sea was visible on every side and is what eventually gave the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild its name. Today, the nine gardens, terraces, and multitudes of statues, ornamental fountains, basins, and grand stairways in the gardens are maintained by a small army of master gardeners that keep it thriving. They ensure the history of the beautiful gardens are preserved while bringing in new plants to make it more beautiful than ever. Thee gardens are open to the public and used for multiple things such as tours for professional and amateur photographers, weddings, and more. The Villa’s garden is a historical monument in itself and leaves everyone who visits in awe of its beautiful landscape.After the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild opened its doors to the public in 1934, it became a registered historical monument in Cap Ferrat in 1996. The historical sight not only opened its doors for people to come to see but began offering a multitude of events for the public to come and enjoy on property grounds. Every year in June, the Villa puts on a popular event for artists across the globe on a special day called The Painters’ Day. The international and national artists come to the Villa and find inspiration for their work within the garden. Weddings occur within the villa in the stone gardens and by the fountains and the Temple of Love as well as in the formal garden all of which offer picturesque scenery for the event.
Vacationers are given the option to purchase guided tours to see the luxury packed Villa and all of its breathtaking features that it has to offer. When you go to purchase tickets you are given the option to have a guided hour-long tour throughout the interior of the mansion, to see all of the antique furniture, master paintings, and other historical art pieces, sculptures, and history that lies within the walls of the villa. After the tour of the inside of the mansion, you are left to go tour the nine gardens by yourself. You can take as much time as you like as you explore the gardens and enjoy the uniqueness that each one has to offer. There is also an option to buy tickets for a guided tour of the Villa and its entire property for a full day. This tour goes far more in-depth and teaches you the history of the Villa, how it got its name, more in-depth about each piece of art in the mansion, and how the nine gardens were designed. On the full day tour, you can take your time while being guided each step of the way, and you can enjoy a meal on the grounds while taking in the breathtaking views of The Villa and Cap Ferrat island.
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a legacy among artists and photographers and has been since the late XIX century. The villa stands out to national French artists and photographers as well as international artistic creators thanks to its elegant and smart neoclassical style. ALongside the neoclassical style of the structure, there are also elements from the Baroque periods and Palladian periods that are seen throughout the Villa’s architecture. Pink marble columns are eight in number and support the portico of the northern facade. These columns were designed to protect the villa against rain and welcome people coming from the coaches. The south facade which is built in a semicircular rotunda contains the same pink marble columns along with marble stairs that overlook the nine gardens. This part of the villa, the columns alone, are one of the finest pieces of architectural grandeur that are found at the Villa de Rothschild. The pink marble columns attract photographers who are intent on capturing the beauty, detail, and history that the solid columns hold. Capturing their unique color and detail, while including the views of the gardens and the rest of the villa in their art.
The hidden gem of French Riviera
The villa located on the French Riviera is one of the most unspoiled locations on the Mediterranean Sea. Its exclusive, undisturbed beauty holds true to the nature that makes the villa so beautiful in the first place. Artists who come to paint, and photographers who come to capture the sense of the villa, leave with the ability to capture the smell of the sea, the easy moving nature, and the living history that surrounds the rose coloured villa- though its true beauty can only be understood when seen with one’s own eyes. Artists come from across the globe to paint the magnificent gardens including the water fountains in the French garden that are nothing short of magical. The beauty of the flowers, the trees, the bushes, and the garden ornaments are only enhanced by the backdrop of the sprawling pink mansion and the views of the pristine Mediterranean sea waters. The gardens, the backdrop, and the surrounding sea make sure pieces of art whether they be paintings, sketches, or photographs, that are jaw-dropping masterpieces.
As you wander throughout the gardens on the Villa’s property, you feel as though you are going through doors into different cultures and experience different styles of horticulture to inspire new works of art. There are small temples within the French gardens which are the focal point, giving artists plenty to work with thanks to their attention to detail, marble columns, and statues that exude peace and tranquility into the garden and into the souls of the artists looking for inspiration. There is also a shady stone garden that gives a type of zen to artists coming to look for a picture of peace to share with anyone who sees their masterpieces. There is also a calm Japanese garden that gives people plenty of historical Japanese artifacts and traditional Japanese horticulture styles to capture during their photography tour or tour for art inspiration.
Within the Villa walls, there are Gobelins tapestries as well as Sevres porcelain figures, paintings from masters in days of old, and rare pieces of furniture that cannot be duplicated or found anywhere else in the world. These give artists an intimate look into what life within the Villa may have looked like, which allows them to bring the villa back to life and give it a chance to live eternally through their art.
Every room inside the mansion, from the top of the ceilings to the bottom of the floor, is filled with extravagant details. Ornate carvings in the walls, details in the beds and on the floors, all of which come together to make breathtaking beauty. During their tours, photographers take the time to photograph the mansion’s rooms up close in hopes of translating its absolute beauty, designed in a Baroquian style, into a photographed work of art that brings the villa back to life for eternity. When you step outside of the rooms inside the mansion, you are greeted with terraces that leave everyone who visits in awe. From each terrace you can see views of the gardens, seeing the ornate detail of the groundwork, the craftsmanship of the historical columns, and the natural beauty that lives on thanks to talented artists who take time to capture what they see and feel from the point of view of the mansion’s terraces- overlooking the entirety of the Villa’s properties.
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is open to the public 365 days a year beginning at 10:00 am and stays open until 6:00 pm. With the purchase of tickets, the public people in Cap Ferrat, a French peninsula island, are able to enter into the gates of grandeur and onto the Villa de Rothschild property. Once they enter into the Villa, they are met by local historians that give tourists guided tours throughout the villa and the indoor and outdoor features of the property. The tours can be relatively quick and provide you with a quick overview of the property where you are then left to explore the rest of the grounds alone, or you can purchase a guided tour that lasts for the entirety of the day- as long as the Villa’s grounds are in operational hours. These tours are more inclusive and give a more in-depth look into the art, statues, rare old furnishings of the mansion. The tour guide also points out the ornate details of the walls and floors, offering up old secrets that the Villa continues to hold on too. After touring the interior part of the villa and all the beauty it holds, you are then led on a tour throughout the nine gardens located on the property grounds. Here you will see different horticultural styles from all over the world, gaining a few cultural lessons while you are there. It also provides the tourists with a sense of beauty that cannot be found anywhere else in the world- these gardens give off an air of peace and tranquility which inspire people to relax and create at the same time. Artists and photographers from around the world flock to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild throughout the entire year because of its beauty and history. It has a detailed history that lives on through the walls and the gardens of the villa help artists and other creators feel inspired to breathe fresh art into the world. It allows them to quiet their minds and open their eyes to see a beauty around them. The Villa is a hidden gem located on the edge of the French peninsula, Cap Farret. It holds within it secrets of nature, glamor, and pristine elegance that has been preserved for decades. When artists go there to create they are surrounded with a beauty that fills their souls and helps them create masterpieces, be they painted or captured in a photograph, that allow others to see and feel the beauty of Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild as if they were there enjoying the tranquility themselves.
