Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Villa Noailles, located in Grasse, is a property composed of a bastide and a garden, acquired in 1923 by Viscount Charles de Noailles. The bastide, as well as the nymph and two fountains, date from the late eighteenth century. This historical heritage was enriched by subsequent developments, especially in the 20th century, under the impetus of the Viscount.

In 1947, Charles de Noailles entrusted architect-decorator Emilio Terry with the renovation of the south façade of the villa. In the same year, he began to develop the garden, a project which would extend until his death in 1981. This garden, conceived as a work of art, incorporates references to various historical styles while preserving existing olive trees and exploiting the natural source of the estate to feed about twenty fountains and ten basins.

The sculptures adorning the garden are the work of renowned artists, including Oscar Dominguez and Henri Laurens. Unlike other gardens on the French Riviera, plant species come mainly from temperate areas. In the 1990s, restoration works helped preserve this unique place, where architecture and nature interact harmoniously. The villa and its garden are partially protected: the villa has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1987, and the garden has been classified since 1996.

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