Cannes
Advertisement properties for sale
21 rooms
1200 m²
94 500 000 €

Magnificent castle set in the legendary area of 'La Croix des Gardes'.
The 'Castle of la Croix des Gardes' is at least one of the greatest properties to be sold on the French Riviera, if not the widest among all, and belongs to the most exclusive legendary properties on the riviera. Ideally located at the hilltop of 'La Croix des Gardes', only a few minutes away from the port of Cannes and the Palais des Festivals,the property stands out proudly overlooking this legendary neighborhood which glory days date back to the early 19th century. Up from 1835, Lord Henry Brougham erected here the first historic dwelling of the neighborhood, the 'villa Eléanore-louise' named from the daughter of the famous British writer and politician. Two years later, the British General John Taylor had the 'castle Saint- Georges' being built, a few steps away from his compatriot. This is how the 'quartier des Anglais' came to birth along with many other outstanding villas such as the 'Villa Rothschild', the 'castle Vallombrosa' or the 'Villa Romée'. In 1919, a Swiss gentleman, Paul Girod, purchased the top of this hill and decided to have the most magnificent property to be built, the 'Castle of la Croix des Gardes'. The dwelling with its Florentine style facade stands proudly surrounded by genuine hanging gardens of 10,2ha. Six years later, Mr Goldman, the owner of the Burma jewels, bought it and will not sell this unique property up until 1960 to the man who would turn water into gold, the owner of the Perrier waters. Extended and redesigned by the English architect Alan Gore in a neo-Palladian style borrowed from the 'Wrotham Castle', this sumptuous property of now roughly 1200 sq. M for the castle itself, comes with a guest house, staff accommodation and outbuildings all scattered around the park. The garden will keep on growing and boasting the creative skills of its designers. In 1927, William Crot, the Chief gardener, replaced the Paul Girod lawn tennis court by an oriental styled garden. This sublime garden somewhat recalls Harold Peto's English creations and most importantly Achille Duchêne's design for the Roman garden of the 'Castle Lou Seuil' in Eze. In 1970 the garden was restored and an orangery was resettled in the eastern pavilion,together with a winter garden and a Turkish lodge. Some grounds are wondefully enhanced by a swimming pool of 33 meters long designed by Alan Gore under the thumb of the renowned architect André Svetchine. Sitting at 213 meters high, the castle offers unsurpassed panoramic Mediterranean sea and snowy mountains views. With its prime location and its breathtaking views, the castle has not only become a legend but also a fantasy which embodies the legend of Cannes. It is said that the famous International Film Festival would have had its first party there. But it is with Alfred Hitchcock that another icon was born when he used the castle as the setting for his famous film «To Catch a Thief» in 1955 : Grace Kelly - who had not become the the Princess of Monaco yet. Called the 'Sanford villa' in this iconic film representative of the glamorous Côte d'Azur, the castle is said to have been the setting for the fabulous masked ball. In 1961, Alain Resnais fell in love with the 'Castle of La Croix des Gardes' and used it as the setting of his movie 'Last Year in Marienbad'. Today, these magical Belle Epoque properties have unfortunately been used as administrative dwellings or divided into several apartments. 'La Croix des Gardes' is the only remaining historic and legendary castle with ultimate beauty overlooking the Bay of Cannes from sunrise to sunset with that can bring the future owners back to the glorious times of the Riviera. Discover the Château de la Crois des Gardes : www. Chateaudelacroixdesgardes. Com.
Ref : CANCN5498