Théodore Reinach chose the location for its resemblance to the landscapes of the Aegean Sea.
The name Kérylos means 'halcyon' or 'kingfisher' in ancient Greek.
The house is equipped with early 20th-century technology, such as retractable glass roofs and integrated plumbing, cleverly concealed to maintain an ancient aesthetic.
The floor mosaics are composed of over 300,000 hand-cut stone tesserae.
The villa was built without using any modern construction materials like reinforced concrete, relying instead on traditional stone-working techniques.
Every room serves a specific function derived from Greek antiquity, such as the 'Andron' (men's dining room) and the 'Gynaeceum' (women's quarters).
The library features a collection of rare books and archaeological documents curated by Reinach himself.
The building was designed to be earthquake-resistant using flexible stone-jointing methods inspired by ancient engineering.
The garden contains exclusively Mediterranean plant species that would have been found in Greece during the Hellenistic period.
Villa Kérylos is a precise reconstruction of an ancient Greek luxury villa, commissioned by archaeologist Théodore Reinach between 1902 and 1908. The residence is situated on the rocky Pointe des Fourmis promontory in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. It was designed by architect Emmanuel Pontremoli to replicate a residence from the island of Delos as it would have appeared in the 2nd century BCE. The structure prioritizes historical accuracy, utilizing luxurious materials such as Carrara marble, exotic woods, and frescoes based on antique motifs. The villa features a peristyle courtyard at its center, surrounded by rooms decorated with authentic Greek furniture replicas. It was bequeathed to the Institut de France in 1928. The site is officially classified as a Monument Historique. Visitors can explore both the interior living spaces and the surrounding Mediterranean gardens.
The central peristyle courtyard looking toward the sea through the marble columns.
Bring a pair of sunglasses and a hat as the coastal area is highly exposed to sunlight.
Walk the perimeter of the gardens for a view of the architecture against the Mediterranean sea.
Download the digital guide to better understand the function of specific rooms.
Do not attempt to access the villa via the narrow coastal path directly from the beach; use the main entrance on Rue Gustave Eiffel.
Open daily year-round, except for occasional maintenance closures or national holidays.
Photography is permitted without flash, but tripods are prohibited inside the villa.
