Construction of the villa 1911 (≈ 1911)
Ernest Bourgarel retired after his career.
début XXe siècle
Construction period
Construction period début XXe siècle (≈ 2004)
Style inspired from the 18th century.
7 octobre 2019
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 7 octobre 2019 (≈ 2019)
Protection of the villa and its garden.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The following parts of the villa Port Magaud: the villa in total, the entrance gate, the facades and roofs of the guardian's house, the garden and its hydraulic layout, from the entrance of the property to the terraces arranged in the slope below the villa, as delimited by a red line on the plan annexed to the decree, located Sainte-Marguerite, 1739 avenue du Commander Houot (cad. AY 141, 142, 343): inscription by order of 7 October 2019
Key figures
Ernest Bourgarel - Diplomat and sponsor
Inspired the project of the villa.
François Roustan - Toulouse architect
Finished and completed the construction.
Origin and history
The villa Port Magaud, built in the early twentieth century, stands at the edge of the communes of La Garde and Toulon, on a 4 hectare estate overlooking Port Magaud. It was built in 1911 for Ernest Bourgarel, a diplomat from a Toulouse family, who inspired the project before the architect François Roustan finished it. The latter, a departmental architect of the Var and historical monuments since 1884, blended a classic style inspired by the eighteenth century pavilions with an ingenious hydraulic system, centred on a cistern collecting stormwater for domestic and agricultural use.
The hydraulic device, still preserved, rests on a roof-terrace inclined towards four corner collectors, redistributed water to a basin under the terrace, then to drains irrigating the restanques. The villa, organized around the cistern and a central hall, houses service rooms in basement, reception areas on the ground floor, and the owners' apartment. Today it retains furniture, art objects and souvenirs reported by Bourgarel during his diplomatic missions to Asia and Latin America.
Classified as a historic monument in 2019, the property includes the villa, its gate, the guardian's house, and a garden with its hydraulic network. Still owned by the descendants of Ernest Bourgarel, it shows a synthesis between traditional architecture and technical innovation, reflecting the taste of a scholar diplomat for foreign cultures and durable solutions.
The official address, 1739 Avenue du Commander Houot, places the villa in the Sainte-Marguerite district, where its state of conservation and functional hydraulic system make it a rare example of landscape and technical integration. The protected elements extend from facades to terraces below, bounded by a plan annexed to the registration order.
