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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Tata Ice villa, located at 101 avenue de la Paix in Touquet-Paris-Plage, is an emblematic achievement of the Lille architect Horace Pouillet, completed in 1926. It embodies the culmination of its style, combining Czech cubist influences and Art Deco, with an anthropomorphic facade marked by a totem-shaped pillar evoking Asian references. Its bold shapes include inverted arches, pronounced vertical mouldings, and a characteristic pink coating, while its furniture was specially designed by Pouillet to create a 'total work'.

Ranked among the historical monuments since 1 December 1997 for its facades, roofs and pergola, the villa owes its name to a 'Tante Alice', a family figure evoked by its name. It is also distinguished by its strategic location in the 'golden triangle', near the church and the town hall, and by its horticultural history, awarded in the 1960s for its hortensia massifs. The 2009 complete renovation preserved its exceptional character, combining architectural heritage and modernity.

The entrance to the villa, accessible by an external staircase, highlights Art Deco details such as the inverted impostes and a stylized fence. The building, built of concrete covered with coating, illustrates Puillet's mastery in the fusion of Art Nouveau trends and cubic geometrical lines. Its anthropomorphism, notably via the pillar-totem, and its landscape integration (axis of Queen Victoria Avenue) make it a unique testimony to the architectural innovation of the 1920s.

Although the villa is not explicitly open to the public, its status as a historical monument and its location in a prestigious neighbourhood make it a must-see heritage site. The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum, Mérimée base) underline its importance in the history of French residential architecture, while noting its excellent state of conservation, estimated at 8/10 for the accuracy of its location.

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