Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Croë is a 2,000 m2 building built in 1927 in Antibes, on the Cap d'Antibes, in a style combining French and Victorian influences. Inspired by Bagatelle Castle in Paris, it is designed by the architect Armand-Albert Rateau for the English aristocrat Sir William Pomeroy Burton, president of Associated Newspapers Ltd. The estate covers 7 hectares, including annexes for staff.

Between 1938 and 1949, the Duke of Windsor, former King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, and his wife Wallis Simpson rented the castle and held sumptuous receptions. In 1951, the billionaire Aristotle Onassis became its owner, before selling it in 1970 to Spiros Niarchos. A fire ravages the castle that same year, leaving it abandoned for three decades.

In 2004, Roman Abramovich acquired the castle for $15 million and undertook massive renovations between 2008 and 2010, at a cost exceeding $100 million. The expanded and modernized estate now includes guest lodges, an ecological swimming pool, and an 8 hectare landscaped park designed by Peter Wirtz.

The castle is also known for its aborted giant pontoon project in 2008, refused by the local authorities. It served as the setting for the 2016 show Secrets d'histoire, dedicated to Wallis Simpson. Today, there remains a symbol of luxury and history on the French Riviera.

The interior of the castle consists of eight suites, twelve bedrooms, three lounges, and high-end amenities such as a spa, a home-cinema, and a swimming pool on terrace. The 350 m2 main suite offers stunning views of the Mediterranean. The park, decorated with ponds and a pine alley, also houses a tennis court.

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