Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Thorenc Castle, built around 1870 in the Terrefial district of Cannes, was originally built for the Duchess of Bedford. Located near the California massif, it became a popular residence of European aristocracy, such as Sir Richard Atwood Glass in 1876 or the Duchess of Montrose. The estate, with an area of 36 hectares, blended tropical vegetation, citrus and olive crops, with an English-style park including cryptoportico, nymphae and landscaped gardens.

In 1896 gardener Denis Troncy changed the park for Lord Rendel, probably adding cryptoportique. In 1923 the estate was loti, and in 1926 the castle was divided into two villas after the suppression of its central part. Between 1928 and 1930, architect François Arluc and landscapers Louis Süe and Léon Le Bel rebuilt the West villa, while Jean-Gabriel Domergue decorated the Venetian lounge. The painter and decorator Jacques Courtois later intervened for the emperor d'Annam, B的o ю的i, who occupied the premises from 1937 to the 1960s.

The park, which has been classified as a general inventory of cultural heritage since 2009, maintains historical features such as the nymph and cryptoportico. Despite the transformation of the castle into a luxurious condominium in the 1960s, its luxurious entrance and part of the botanical park remained. The estate, located between Oxford Boulevard and Annam Avenue, bears witness to the golden age of Cannoese seaside residences.

The land was acquired in 1832 by Sébastien de Riouffe, Baron of Thorenc, artillery officer who took part in the retreat of Moscow in 1813. Descending from a family of canine fishermen anobliated by Louis XIV in 1709, he illustrated the social ascent linked to French military history. Its heritage allowed the creation of this domain, symbol of the 19th century Rivieran fascist.

The park, designed in 1889 by the Duke and Duchess of Montrose, incorporated picturesque elements such as a false river, basins, and a tea house. To the west, the stables and a famous vegetable garden for its Merveille d'Amérique peas completed the whole. In the north, a dovecote, a cowry and landscape developments (suspended decks, artificial rocks) reflected a craze for romantic gardens.

In 1937, the last emperor of Annam made the castle his residence in Canada. Known for his sidecar trips, he lived there until the 1960s, marking the history of the place with an exotic touch. After its sale, the estate was transformed into buildings by the architect Offenstein in 1968, retaining only remains of his prestigious past.

External links