Villa Les Cèdres is a historic 14-bedroom villa located on the coast of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in the French Riviera. The villa was built in 1830 and was initially operated as an olive tree farm. It was bought in 1850 by Desire Pollonais, the mayor of Villefranche-sur-Mer. The property was later sold to the Belgian King Leopold II in 1904, who expanded the beautiful gardens that still surround the property.
After King Leopold’s death, the villa was acquired by the Marnier-Lapostolle family in 1924, known for producing Grand Marnier liqueur. The family cultivated all of the exotic plants that filled the grounds of the palatial estate for over 80 years. The botanical garden now contains more than 14,000 species of tropical plants, making it one of the largest collections in Europe.
The property remained in the Marnier-Lapostolle family until 2016, when Campari acquired Grand Marnier’s parent company, Société des Produits Marnier Lapostolle. Campari put the Villa on the market immediately after. In 2019, Ukraine’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, bought Villa Les Cèdres for $221 million.
The villa is known for its luxurious amenities, including a library holding 3000 books, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a bronze statue of the goddess Athena, a stable enough for 30 horses, and 35 acres of manicured gardens. The villa also offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.
