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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The villa Les Mouettes, located 8 bis rue Guyau in Menton in the Alpes-Maritimes, is a typical building of the early 20th century on the French Riviera. It is distinguished by its friezes painted under the foreground, a decor characteristic of the villas of this time, evoking its name by seagull motifs. Its architecture, with a pavilion roof and wrought iron balconies, reflects the eclectic and picturesque style popular with the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie in resort.

The villa was occupied from 1914 to 1932 by the statuary Leopold Bernstamm (1859-1939), a major figure in local artistic life. Bernstamm, already renowned, has made orders for the cosmopolitan company of the Riviera and for the city of Menton. A commemorative plaque on the south facade recalls his stay. The villa, now privately owned, was listed as a historical monument in 1990 for its facades and roof, then labeled a 20th century heritage in 2001.

The decoration painted under the foreground is attributed to Guillaume Cerutti-Maori, although this information remains to be confirmed. The villa, originally mentioned in local directories as early as 1910, illustrates the rise of secondary residences on the Riviera at the beginning of the 20th century, mixing artistic and architectural Mediterranean influences. Its terraced garden, accessible by a staircase from the street, reinforces its picturesque character and its integration into the Menton urban landscape.

Listed among the historical monuments of the Alpes-Maritimes, the villa Les Mouettes bears witness to Menton's golden age as a popular destination for European elites. Its official inscription in 1990 and its subsequent label underline its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its history related to the arts and to the worldly society of the time.

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