Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Villa El Djézair, located at 1 boulevard Charles-Guillaumont in Antibes, is an iconic building of the early twentieth century. Built between 1921 and 1922 by the canine architect Ernest Truch for Camille Chrétien, it is distinguished by its old-fashioned neo-Mauresch style. His name, El Djézair (Algeria in Arabic), pays tribute to the Algerian memories of his first owner. The villa consists of various volumes, including a tower-minaret, an arabizing dome, and decorative elements such as mucharabiehs and arches in overpassed arches.

In 1936, Dr Héry, a Swiss from Zurich, acquired the villa and added a wing to the east. After 1945, its environment changed radically with the opening of a coastal road and the proximity of a railway, partially insulating the building. Despite these urban transformations, the villa retains its exceptional character, with a garden planted with exotic essences and richly decorated interiors, such as the dining room with a pendant dome.

Listed as a historic monument on September 1, 1999, the Villa El Djézaïr is also awarded the 20th century Heritage label. After a restoration, it is renamed Villa Djunah in 2019 and houses from a bar-restaurant. Its architecture, one of the best preserved of the neo-Mauresque style on the French Riviera, bears witness to a time when Orientalism still inspired some sponsors, despite its decline in architectural trends between the two wars.

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