Villa La Mauresque

Villa La Mauresque stands on the Cap Ferrat peninsula, one of the most exclusive stretches of the French Riviera, and owes its fame to the man who called it home for decades: British novelist Somerset Maugham.

Where is the villa located?

The property sits in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, a small commune occupying the entire cape between Nice and Monaco. Set roughly at 43.6875°N, 7.3292°E, the villa lies inland from the harbour promenade, among the wooded grounds typical of the peninsula's private estates, with the bays of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer framing the coastline on either side.

Why is the villa linked to Somerset Maugham?

Maugham lived here for the greater part of his adult life, using the estate as his principal residence and as a gathering point for visitors from literary, political and artistic circles. The house is remembered less as a standalone architectural curiosity than as the setting most closely tied to the biography of one of the twentieth century's best-read British authors.

Who is responsible for the villa's current appearance?

The building took its present form in 1927, when it underwent a substantial remodelling. The work was carried out by Henri Delmotte and Marcel Guilgot together with the American architect Barry Dierks (1899–1960), who was active on the Riviera at the time designing residences for wealthy, often English-speaking clients. Their collaboration produced a house that blends Mediterranean architectural language with the requirements of a private, representative estate.

Can visitors tour the villa?

Villa La Mauresque remains privately owned and is not open to the public as a museum or visitor attraction. Travellers exploring Cap Ferrat can still take in the setting from outside while walking the peninsula, since Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is laced with coastal paths that offer views over the bays and the villas tucked into the surrounding greenery.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Cap Ferrat has long drawn travellers looking for quiet luxury and villa architecture, and La Mauresque is one of the reference points for that reputation. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat itself is best suited today to visitors interested in coastal walking routes and low-key beaches, while larger Riviera hubs such as Nice and Monaco are only a short drive away.

Frequently asked questions

What is Villa La Mauresque? It is a residence in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera, best known as the main home of British novelist Somerset Maugham.

Who designed the villa's current form? The 1927 remodelling was carried out by Henri Delmotte, Marcel Guilgot and American architect Barry Dierks (1899–1960).

Is the interior of the villa open to visitors? No — the property is privately owned and is not set up as a walk-through attraction.

Where exactly does the villa sit relative to other towns? It sits on the Cap Ferrat peninsula, between the bays of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a short distance from both Nice and Monaco.