Riviera Palace Menton Paul SmitRiviera Palace Menton Paul Smit
Interieur Du Riviera Palace De BeausoleilThe secrets of the Belle Époque (finally) revealed
Riviera Palace Menton Paul SmitBelle Époque architecture in Menton, Riviera & Merveilles: an area with style!
Did you know? Menton, Riviera & Merveilles has style… literally! Here, Belle Époque architecture lurks in every nook and cranny, at the turn of a hotel, a facade or even a garden. What details should you look out for? We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Belle Époque architecture!
Grand Hotel Des Ambassadeurs Menton Pango Visual2Ah, the Belle Époque… yes, but which one?
Let’s get back to history! The Belle Époque was a period that lasted until the First World War (around 1874-1914), when France underwent many architectural changes (and not only, of course!).
It was during this period that the Côte d’Azur as a whole was at its most sumptuous. Why was this? It attracted aristocrats from all over the world, including the English, Russians, Germans, Austro-Hungarians and Swedes, thanks to its sunny climate and beautiful scenery. This was in stark contrast to the cold and pollution of the Industrial Revolution!
Word of mouth soon spread, and the greatest politicians, industrialists, intellectuals and artists of the time moved to Menton, Riviera & Merveilles for several months, bringing with them their very luxurious lifestyle.
Magnificent villas and palaces were built, such as the Grand Hôtel des Ambassadeurs and the Riviera Palace. Some even welcomed celebrities (you’ll have to read on to find out who!).
As a result, Menton, Riviera & Merveilles has become a symbol of refinement and the gentle way of life for a wealthy clientele, who have every opportunity to stay in the finest palaces, but also to stroll through thelush gardens (such as the Jardin Serre de la Madone or the Jardin du Val Rahmeh, to name but a few!).
Belle Époque or not Belle Époque?
Just imagine… You’re strolling through the streets of Menton when a magnificent building catches your eye. Is this architecture what we call Belle Époque?
Here are a few tips to help you find your way around! Belle Époque architecture is characterised by both extravagance and eclecticism. From neo-classical to art nouveau, materials range from marble and stone to wrought iron and ceramics. Not forgetting painting!
The Belle Époque is a beautiful place!
With such beautiful buildings, many personalities from all walks of life set their sights on Menton, Riviera & Merveilles. Villa Emilia, in the Fontana Rosa gardens, was home to Spanish novelist Vicente Blasco Ibáñez and Jean Cocteau. Marie Curie, the Shah of Persia and Marshal Joffre all stayed at the Hôtel Impérial de Menton!
Tuberculosis was an emblematic but little-appreciated figure of the Belle Époque. The disease was rampant in France at the time. And Menton was a health resort! Sick people were sent there to “breathe the pure air”, which paradoxically made the town very social… with wealthy invalids and aristocrats on holiday!
Hotel Lorangeraie Menton Pango Visual
Verriere Riviera Palace Beausoleil Experience the spirit of the Belle Époque!
We can’t resist the temptation to give you our must-sees…
On holiday in Menton, Riviera & Merveilles, the buildings of yesteryear are sure to surprise and amaze you! Take the time to look up and discover the corbelling of the villas, the glass roofs and ornamentation of the grand hotels and casinos. All the while enjoying the microclimate where lemon and orange trees flourish… It’s like being transported back 150 years, to the 19ᵉ century!
📌 Fancy seeing the Belle Époque buildings up close? Set course for the Route Belle Epoque!
⚠️ Please note: some typical Belle Époque buildings have private access! Remember to take a look at the Route Belle Époque map before your visit.
In Beausoleil :
- The Riviera Palace in Beausoleil: it attracted aristocracy from all over the world with its eclectic style combining Art Nouveau, Italian influences and neo-classicism. Not to mention its ochre facades, bow-windows and blue majolica balustrades! The highlight of the show? The glass roof of the garden, designed by Gustave Eiffel, is home to lush subtropical vegetation and used to host major winter festivals. And we’ve just been told that the writer Colette was a regular visitor!
It’s not uncommon, so to speak, to bump into the Shah of Persia, Tsar Nicholas II or Serge Diaghilev, creator of the Russian ballets.
Book my guided tour - The Gustave Eiffel market in Beausoleil is a gourmet’s delight, with cheese, charcuterie, honeys, exotic fruits and organic produce all on display in a friendly atmosphere. Architecture fans will love the steel framework and glass façades, a direct tribute to Gustave Eiffel and his famous Tower!
In Menton :
- The Boulevard de Garavan: Since 1888, the Boulevard de Garavan has been the stuff of dreams for international celebrities, with its mild winters and fairytale villas. Over a 3 km stretch lined with pepper and carob trees, luxury, festivities and refinement rivalled the French Riviera!
Book my guided tour. - The Riviera Palace in Menton: with its 250 rooms on 10 floors, it has long welcomed dukes, counts and princes in sumptuous surroundings! Its entrance hall, marble staircase and music room rival the grandeur of the listed gardens and facades, while its extensions and auditorium bear witness to the splendour of the era. Converted into flats after 1958, the palace today retains its 20th-century heritage label.
Book my guided tour.
Villa Maria Serena Andreia De Freitas Alves
In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin :
- Le Grand Hôtel du Cap-Martin: opened in 1891, it was described by Stephen Liégeard as a “Leviathan of luxury and comfort”. And that’s just the beginning! It was also visited by such prestigious guests as Elisabeth of Austria and Empress Eugénie. The Belle Époque attracted royalty from all over the world!
- Villa Cypris: its original construction allowed the owner of the house to follow her daughter, the yachtswoman Virginie Hériot, on regattas in the bay.
Frequently asked questions about Belle Époque architecture
- Where can you find Belle Époque architecture?
Belle Époque architecture is found above all in the seaside towns of the Côte d’Azur such as Menton, Nice, Cannes or Beausoleil. It is recognisable in the palaces, luxury hotels, sumptuous villas and bourgeois apartment blocks built between the end of the XIXᵉ century and 1914, with ornate facades, wrought-iron balconies, bow-windows, turrets and decorative glass roofs.
- What styles make up Belle Époque architecture?
Belle Époque architecture is eclecticism itself, blending several influences: Art Nouveau with its curves and floral motifs, the neo-classical style with its columns and pediments, and sometimes Italian or medieval influences with its turrets and loggias. This combination creates elegant, decorative buildings, often featuring wrought-iron balconies, bow-windows, skylights and lush gardens. Pure luxury and refinement!
- Which architects worked on the Belle Époque monuments in Menton?
Several renowned architects have left their mark on Menton’s Belle Époque architecture:
- Abel Gléna, a Menton architect, designed the Riviera Palace, one of the town’s first hotel-palaces, inaugurated in 1897.
- Alfred Marsang, a colleague of Abel Gléna, supervised the extension of the Riviera Palace in 1910, adding three floors and a west wing.
- Charles Garnier, famous architect of the Paris Opera, designed the Villa Maria Serena in 1886 for the Foucher de Careil family.
- Georges Tersling, a Danish architect, designed the Villa Cyrnos in Cap Martin for Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.
- Where is Menton, Riviera & Merveilles located?
Menton, Riviera & Merveilles is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, in south-east France, on the Côte d’Azur, on the border with Italy. The area extends around Menton.
- Are buildings with Belle Époque architecture protected?
Some buildings are listed as historic monuments or have been awarded the 20th Century Heritage label, which ensures their preservation.
- What was the Belle Époque period?
The Belle Époque ran from approximately 1870 to 1914, between the end of the 1870 war and the start of the First World War. It was a period of prosperity and technological and cultural innovation, marked by the boom in tourism on the Côte d’Azur!
- What characterises the Belle Époque movement?
The Belle Époque was characterised by elegance, refinement and luxury, reflected in architecture, the arts and social life (in particular a marked taste for parties and worldliness!).
- Are tours available of Belle Époque buildings in Menton?
The Menton, Riviera & Merveilles Tourist Office is offering guided tours entitled “La Belle Époque”, which plunge you into the history of the town through its palaces, villas and gardens emblematic of this glittering period.
- In which part of Menton can you find buildings from the Belle Époque period?
Belle Époque buildings are concentrated mainly along the seafront and in the Garavan district. These include iconic palaces such as the Riviera Palace, the Winter Palace and the Grand Hôtel d’Orient, as well as sumptuous villas such as Villa Maria Serena and Villa Fontana Rosa. The boulevard de Garavan, with its elegant facades and ornate villas, is a perfect illustration of the luxury of the period!
