| Beaulieu-sur-Mer | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  France |
|---|---|
| Area | 0,95 km² |
| Population | 3 731 hab. () |
| Density | 3 927,37 inhab./km² |
| Postal code | 06310 |
| Spindle | UTC 01:00, UTC 02:00 |
| Location | |
 43 ° 42 ′ 23 ″ N 7 ° 20 ′ 8 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
Beaulieu-sur-Mer is a city of Alpes-Maritimes in the south-east of the France.
Understand
To go
- 1 Beaulieu-sur-Mer train station (in the center of Beaulieu-sur-mer and therefore less than 15 min on foot from anywhere in the town) – Located on the line going from Marseille to Ventimiglia which runs along the coast, it allows you to reach the cities there such as Nice and Monaco (both at 10 min)..
Circulate
To see
Villa Kerylos
The meeting of two enthusiasts
- 1 Villa Kerylos
Villa Kérylos was born from a encounter : that of a learned patron and an architect. From this dream of the antique is born a modern villa.
Théodore Reinach, a great scholarThéodore Reinach (1860-1928) was the youngest of three gifted brothers from a banking family from Frankfurt. Key figures of the Third Republic, the three Reinach brothers were nicknamed the "Know-It-all", a nickname due to their extraordinary erudition: Joseph, the eldest, was deputy and collaborator of Gambetta; Salomon, a member of the Institute, distinguished himself as curator of the National Museum of Antiquities. As for Theodore, endowed at a young age with a double doctorate, in law and in letters, he very quickly oriented himself towards the history of ancient Greece: at the same time archaeologist, papyrologist, numismatist, musicologist, he was received at the 'Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Letters and also deputy of Savoy.From his passion for Greece was born the project to build a Greek villa in Beaulieu-sur-mer, not far from the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Mme Reinach was indeed the niece of Baron Maurice Ephrussi. Upon his death in 1928, Théodore Reinach bequeathed the Villa Kérylos to the Institut de France, of which he was a member. Her children and grandchildren lived there until 1967, when it was listed as a historic monument.
Emmanuel Pontremoli (1865-1956), a passionate architectThéodore Reinach offers Emmanuel Pontremoli this crazy project: to build an ancient Greek villa in Beaulieu. From the outset, the young architect was won over. And aware of the difficulties: "I knew," he wrote in 1934, "and the experiences I had already made made me feel it amply, that any restoration, reproduction, reconstitution, of a dwelling from the past is meaningless if one focuses exclusively on to what is believed to be the truth, or the so-called archaeological truth. I also knew that this research is in vain, doomed to the most irremediable failure, since, from the first attempts, the exact, convincing document would be lacking, and that from then on, everything would vanish for lack of certain bases ”
No question, therefore, of pastiching, but of reinventing Greece. Freedom is the only watchword for success in this endeavor. A long-term endeavor, since it took the architect six years, from 1902 to 1908, to complete this masterpiece. In 1921, Emmanuel Pontremoli was appointed Inspector General of Civil Buildings and National Palaces. As such, he worked in former royal residences such as Versailles, Marly, Rambouillet ... At the end of his career, he was the first architect to be appointed director of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. A consecration, which he could, in fact, "rejoice".
An astonishing reinventionFar from being a simple reproduction of the noble residences of the island of Delos, Villa Kérylos is rather a reinvention of ancient Greece. It is not for the two men to make a pastiche but to create an original work by "thinking Greek". Emmanuel Pontremoli demonstrates his genius by subtly arranging in the midst of antique luxury the modern comfort of the Belle Époque villas: Balneion basin supplied with water by taps hidden under round grids, or this astonishing folding piano designed by Pleyel whose the mechanics are hidden in a lemon tree chest.
Villa Kérylos is thus a magical place steeped in memory, which offers a very lively look at ancient culture, and a witness to the Belle Époque.
A great timeA very original tribute to ancient civilization, it is also part of the tradition of the Riviera. Beaulieu-sur-Mer was then at the end of the XIXth century and at the beginning of the 1900s the meeting place of the great of this world.
A sad end? The many Parisian activities of Théodore Reinach prevented him from taking full advantage of his villa, however splendid and very expensive. The deputation of Savoy, his former chair of numismatics at the College de France, his functions of director of various reviews occupy him in Paris. The First World War forced him to accept a mission in the United States in 1917, the year of his wife's death. Théodore Reinach died prematurely in 1928. He would never know that part of his family would be deported, in particular his son Léon, holder of the Kérylos archives, taken by the Gestapo.
A palace of ancient Greece
Designed on the model of the noble houses of the Island of Delos in the 2nd century BC. AD, Villa Kérylos is an invitation to travel to the heart of Greek antiquity. Everything, from the organization of the spaces to the refinement of the decoration, has been designed with the aim of recreating the atmosphere of a luxurious Greek villa. Like Mediterranean dwellings, Villa Kérylos is organized around the peristyle, a large central courtyard surrounded by twelve monolithic columns in white Carrara marble. This is where the owner, Théodore Reinach, liked to walk.
The peristyleMajor room on the ground floor: the peristyle. Atrium for some, patio for others, this central courtyard represents one of the essential foundations of an ancient house. Air and light circulate there, bathe and maintain the oleanders. In the center, a sober and refined basin. No unnecessary ornamentation, to recall the essential role of water, source of life. Same purity for the twelve Doric or Ionic columns in white Carrara marble. The visitor will thus admire, in addition to the calm of the place, from another age, the frescoes (by Jaulmes and Karbowsky, pupils of Puvis de Chavannes), inspired by ancient vases (kept in the museums of Berlin, Munich and the Vatican). Apollo, Hermes dispute the lyre, after the death of Talos, after the conquest of the Golden Fleece. Apollo - again him - travels to the land of the Hyperboreans, Hephaestus returns to Olympus, Pelops maintains his legend. Static animation. New paradox for this palace of legends.
The other rooms are organized around the peristyleThe library built on one and a half floors, is exposed to the rising sun to facilitate reading in the morning. It is arguably the most spectacular and imposing of the rooms surrounding the peristyle. Inspired by its antique model, this piece is dedicated to Athena. Here, enthroned the works of the latter, relating to the plastic arts, to the culture of the Ancients ... and remarkable furniture: oak chests and cabinets with inlays after models discovered at Herculaneum in 1762, Egyptian-style chairs and lectern .
On the ceiling, a magnificent chandelier, a replica of that of Hagia Sophia, in Constantinople. Finally, to further satisfy the visitor, authentic objects retrace the daily life of the Ancients: statues of "tanagra", Roman glasses, amphorae, vases ... To use Reinach's words, inscribed on the south wall of the room: " It is here that, in the company of Greek orators, scholars and poets, I have a peaceful retreat in immortal beauty. "
After enjoying the spiritual foods, the visitor is invited to taste the earthly foods. In the banquet room, called triklinos, three beds set up at table height allowed guests to take meals lying down, in accordance with the Greek way of life.
In the andron, the large living room, the men (and only them) discussed, as did the women in their gynaeceum. The walls are of marble, and the carpet, of mosaic: Theseus fights the Minotaur there, in a frozen movement.
Adjoining, the oikos, the small living room reserved for the family. More intimate than the adjoining andron, Reinach's oikos is dedicated to Dionysus, god of wine and theater. An omnipresent light. A bath of light, thanks to the clear mosaic floor, to the walls with their stucco compositions narrating the legend of the deity of the place (Dionysos). There is still light on the treasure concealed in the inlaid lemon tree chest: the astonishing piano signed by Pleyel (1913). In 1893, Théodore Reinach transcribed, on the excavation site of Delphi, the Hymns of Apollo discovered on a marble in the “treasury of the Athenians”. It is said that Gabriel Fauré, who then harmonized the score, played the piece on this famous neo-Greek piano.
Finally, on the other side of the peristyle, another universe… very ancient: the balaneion ("the thermal baths"), private baths reserved for luxury homes, is in tiger marble from Carrara. The Greeks used to relax there before the evening meal. Here again, Pontremoli has shown incomparable freedom and a fine spirit of adaptation. Centerpiece, the octagonal basin. One meter deep, its sides are in tiger Carrara marble, its mosaic floor represents the seabed. Its form, classic in the Greek world, will be taken up later by Christian baptistery. Modernity now. Discreet, it is all the more effective. The two openwork grilles hide the taps. Modern amenities, which, in the end, flow naturally!
Old-fashioned intimacyNext are the private apartments located on the first floor. A more intimate floor, reserved for the master of the house and his wife.
- Monsieur's apartments
The nikai ("the victories") is Theodore's bathroom: the toilet is here elevated to the rank of rite. A Carrara marble bathtub carved from a single block, firmly planted on its enormous clawed legs, is amused by the astonishment of the visitor. Swan neck and dolphin head faucets prefer a more distant attitude. Above the bathtub, very fine stuccos: works of the sculptor Gasq, they were inspired by his visit to the Spa Museum in Rome. Théodore Reinach's bedroom, the Erotès ("Les Amours") , is dedicated to Eros, the god of love. This one frolic moreover happily on the walls, in the middle of the vines. The bed is in bronze and curved wood. Opening to the south, Mediterranean blue, and interior predominantly in Pompeian red. This red, characteristic of the color palette of the Greeks, also recalls the palace of Knossos.
- Madame's apartments
Madame's bedroom. The Ornites ("the Birds") is dedicated to Hera, wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage and femininity. As with Théodore's bedroom, from which it is separated by two bathrooms, foliage curtains act as a mobile alcove. The midnight blue of the frescoes gives a particularly soothing atmosphere to this room. In the nearby ampelos, Mme Reinach's bathroom, an astonishing open-air shower. A clever tap system allows three jets: in rain (kataxysma), in running water (krounos) and in a circle (perkyklas). 1530 circular jets for liters of happiness! This shower is a reproduction of an antique model, which thus made it possible to take advantage of rainwater, followed by the triptolemus, a small rest room between the two bathrooms. Curious name for a small living room! It comes from the mosaic, the central motif of which is borrowed from a Greek cup preserved in the Vatican and representing Triptolemus, hero of Eleusis, on a chariot.
A sumptuous settingAround the villa, the garden offers a splendid view of the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula and its magnificent residences. It presents a harmonious choice of Greek vegetation: olive trees and vines, pomegranate, carob, acanthus and myrtle, oleanders and irises, pines and cypresses, palm trees and papyrus recreate the Greek atmosphere, under the sun of the French Riviera.
Unique collections
Rare furnitureFully furnished, the villa recreates down to the smallest detail the refinement of the decoration of ancient Greek palaces. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Villa is the exquisitely elegant furnishings. Inspired in a very exact way by antique models, it was designed according to artisanal methods. Chests, desks, woven leather stools, three-legged tables, wood and bronze beds… Everything has been made from precious exotic woods: rosewood, Australian plum, Angelica wood, American walnut, lemon tree. Ceylon… and inlaid with ivory or coral.
Scenes from Greek MythologyIn all the rooms, frescoes and mosaics, inspired by ancient documents, represent scenes from Greek mythology. The visitor witnesses the death of Talos after the conquest of the Golden Fleece, the return of Hephaestus to Olympus, the main episodes of the legend of Pelops and the life of Apollo.
The gallery of antiques Three galleries present life-size casts of the most beautiful Greek statues. In the gallery of female drapery, three goddesses await the visitor: Aphrodite known as “Venus Genitrix”, “Athena with the cistus”, “Aphrodite with the pillar Artemis (Diana) known as“ Diane de Gabies ”. In the gallery of Aphrodites, two Aphrodites: one called“ Venus of Arles ”, the other called“ Venus de Milo ”exhibit their charms. In the gallery of gods and athletes, the muscles are at honor: Apollo known as Apollo of the Belvedere, Discus thrower athlete known as “the Discobolus”, Discus thrower athlete known as “the Discophore”, Ares (Mars) known as “Ares Borghese”. The statues are very present in Kerylos, most of them being casts: the Lateran Sophocles in the proaulion, the charioteer of Delphi in the library, the Athena Farnese in the amphityros, the equestrian statue of Alexander in the andron, the Herakles with the doe in the oïkos, the Hermès-Dionysos de Boêthos in the vestibule on the first floor ...
Xaipe ("Rejoice") The rarest materials were used: delicate stucco, veined marble in various shades of mauve or gray, Carrara or Siena, opal or alabaster. All these details are so many revealing symbols of the spirit of the place. : Xaipe ("Rejoice") is the only watchword given to the visitor to Villa Kérylos.
Do
To buy
Eat
Have a drink / Go out
Housing
- 1 Beaulieu reserve 5 Boulevard du Maréchal Leclerc,
33 4 93 010001, e-mail : [email protected] – 
free.
free.Communicate
Around
| Routes via Beaulieu-sur-Mer |
| Nice ← Nice-Riquier ← | O  E | → Èze-sur-Mer → Cap-d'Ail → Monaco |
| This article uses content from the Wikipedia article Beaulieu-sur-Mer Station. See the history of this page for the list of authors. |
