Villa FIESOLE
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In 1926, Jean-Gabriel DOMERGUE purchases a steep piece of land on one of the hills in Cannes, called ‘la Californie’, which overlooks the whole town towards the sea. Italian blood from one of his grandmothers and an admiration for Venetian palaces induce him to imagine a house like those he had seen in Fiesole, a splendid town in the environs of Florence.
Half a dozen architects advise him against building on such a steep slope!
He draws up the plans himself, daringly placing windows on the corners, the sight of which makes everyone predict the building’s collapse. He chooses stone found on the land as building material.
The building work would begin in 1929. Jean-Gabriel DOMERGUE is the designer; Emile Molinié and Charles Nicod are the two architects who agree to work with him.
“My husband conceived all the plans for the villa.” Mrs Domergue used to say, “the plans for the house and the outbuildings but also the gardens and all the interiors including the chandeliers which he designed and had executed at a Murano glassworks.”
He designs models of glass and crystal chandeliers for the Master glassworker, Véronèse, whose shop is on rue Saint Philippe du Roule. These were presented in numerous exhibitions alongside sculptures by Odette DOMERGUE.
1936: Housewarming party at the Villa Fiesole which would thenceforth hold grand parties.
It has immense halls with high ceilings and fine furniture. Outdoors, from the hill a cascade descends between cypress hedges, models of busts from antiquity and others by the sculptor Odette DOMERGUE.
“It is the lavish residence of a Renaissance prince…This large house is still representative of the good taste, quality and beauty of a certain era…”
Jean Claude Brialy
In a corner of the garden a cenotaph inspired by Etruscan tombs and sculpted by Odette DOMERGUE bears the effigy of the couple looking towards the sea and the sunset.
The villa, which is known as the “Villa DOMERGUE” today, was bequeathed to the town of Cannes by the artist.
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