Villa de Ephrussi de Rothschild, St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Bon jour, mes amies,

Although still chilly the day dawned bright and sunny.  Few things are open on Mondays, but I was in luck today because had a fun visit to lovely St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the splendid house and gardens of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild built in the early Twentieth Century.  We will learn what a combination of unimaginable wealth and good taste can achieve.
I trammed out to the bus stop, which was the same as I took to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, so I had no trouble finding it.  Oof.  It was cold waiting, but the bus was warm, and the ride along the coast highly scenic.
St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is a gorgeous wooded peninsula known mainly for its exclusive enclaves of really, Really, REALLY rich people.  I saw some of the homes, which are amazing but alas not open to the prying eyes of the public.  That's ok. We get to look into a Belle Epoch creation personally designed by Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild.  She evidently was quite a character, but I cannot fault her sense of style or her taste in art.  She was a collector and had the money to spend on it and the good judgement to buy significance and quality.
It's easy to get to.  The bus dumped us off right at the entrance.  Even the walk up to the villa provided magnificent views.  Admission includes an audio guide, which I found very helpful and a lot less cheesy than Kerylos's.  It provides some juicy gossip about the family as well as solid information about the house, furnishings, and art collection.
Beatrice acquired a distinguished collection of Late Medieval and Early Renaissance paintings and tapestries as well as porcelain and Chinoiserie.  What can you say about rooms that contain desks that used to belong to Marie Antoinette, or rugs made for Louis XV, or drawings made by Boucher for Mme de Pompadour herself?  One can merely gawk in astonishment.  Some of the ceiling frescos are by Tieopolo for heavens sake.  The collection is eclectic and reflects Beatrice's sometimes eccentric tastes.  We are informed that the Belle Epoch above all meant reaching over the top, but in this case the extravagance had a good effect.
The gardens are as entrancing as the house.  Beatrice conceived of seven gardens in different styles and the layout follows her conception.  Most visitors hang out in the large French garden right behind the house (Well, that's where the fountains are, so I can't blame them), but a little exploration leads to a variety including Spanish, Florentine, and Japanese.  You'll need to wear your stout shoes for these because the going can be a bit rough and uneven.
Beatrice clearly chose the site for the views.  You can see both sides of the peninsula and even look back to Villefranche.  The views alone are worth the trip.
Dinner is the rest of the ravioli Nicoise.  I'll need to get some more of that nice tomato sauce Provencal.  Interestingly they use the Italian word for sauce--sugo, and a lot of things are labeled in Italian here.  The food here is so good and actually fairly healthful.  It's the Mediterranean Diet after all.
A demain