Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild Visit and Picnic

Set between Monaco and Nice, the forested peninsula of Cap-Ferrat has been an exclusive holiday destination on the Riviera for more than 100 years. Baroness Beatrice de Rothschild, daughter of the famed banker Alphonse and an art collector in her own right, purchased the property and commissioned a home from French architect Aaron Messiah. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild was built between 1905 and 1912, its high hilltop location providing sea views on two sides, looking out to both the Bay of Villefranche and the Bay of Beaulieu. Your guide is a curator who has written a book about the estate, now publicly owned and protected as part of France’s cultural heritage. Enjoy a tour of select rooms inside the villa before heading out to stroll in the surrounding gardens. A garden lover’s delight, the estate features a main French Garden, designed by Beatrice in the shape of ship’s deck, along with smaller Spanish, Florentine, Stone, Japanese, Exotic, Rose and Provencal gardens. A basket full of gourmet delicacies is brought out for a dejeuner en plein air, as the Baroness would have entertained her own guests. After lunch, enjoy free time in the gardens and to browse for the villa shop before the scenic return drive to Monaco.