Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Villa Nirvana is an iconic construction of the Touquet-Paris-Plage, built in 1910 by architect Albert Pouthier. Located at the corner of avenue du Château and avenue des Roses, it embodies the early 20th century seaside architectural style, mixing reinforced concrete, brick and coated. Its dissymmetric design, its fake wooden panels and its checker decorations reflect the neo-Norman influence, typical of the first villas of the resort. The villa was enlarged in 1925 in a style consistent with the existing one, while maintaining its original features, such as the intact ridges and the covered pillar portal alternating brick and stone.

The villa Nirvana was originally commissioned for Maurice Thiellement, a Parisian, before being acquired in 1920 by the Filliette family, industrialists of Chocques (Pas-de-Calais). Offered for a wedding anniversary, her name "Nirvana" would find her inspiration in a trip to India by the bride's parents. Classified as a historic monument since 1998 for its facades and roofs, it has remained in the same family since its construction, testifying to the urban and forestry history of the Touquet. Its architecture, combining picturesque and neonormand, makes it a preserved example of the seaside villas of the early century.

Albert Pouthier, architect of the villa, translated his architectural theories, including the use of concrete imitating wood and stone. The commons, like the old stables, have the same patterns (alternated brick and concrete seats, fake wooden panels). The villa thus illustrates the evolution of secondary residences on the Opal coast, where the aristocracy and the industrial bourgeoisie built houses combining modern comfort and regional aesthetics. Its designation as historic monuments underlines its heritage importance, both for its state of conservation and for its role in local history.

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