Villa Kérylos

In Greek mythology, Princess Alcyone married Ceyx, son of Eoesphorus.

Their relationship was happy and harmonious but still managed to upset Zeus, who threw a thunderbolt at the ship on which Ceyx was travelling.

The ship sank and Ceyx drowned. In a dream, he visited Alcyone to tell her of his fate, after which she, in desperation, threw herself off a cliff.

Out of compassion, the gods turned them both into kingfishers, or “halcyon birds”. “Kerylos” is another word for “kingfisher” and “Halcyon”. Ever since their transformation, the bird was considered a good omen, carrying the promise of peaceful times soon to come. 

The Greek name of the villa underscores the strong cultural underpinnings of the building, interconnecting 20th century France with Ancient Greece. Théodore Reinach, who commissioned the building, was an esteemed archaeologist who, together with his wife Fanny, wanted to build a modern house, but with aesthetic inspiration from the past.

The couple contacted architect Emmanuel Pontremoli, who helped them realise their plans on the cliffs by the sea in Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

Throughout his life, Théodore Reinach had been fascinated with antiquity.

Reinach was considered one of the most prominent Hellenists of his time, and was particularly interested in matters concerning Greek politics and democracy.

Villa Kerylos was his attempt at reviving the beauty of an ancient civilization. Together, he and Pontremoli created a three-dimensional, complete artwork: not only the layout of the house but its furniture, fabrics, tableware and decoration were all designed to remind its inhabitants of Ancient Greece.

The villa was modelled on the style of the noble houses of the island of Delos, the way they would have appeared in the 2nd century BC.

The finished result can be viewed as his tribute to a past on which the foundation of modern society was built.

The villa brought together the aesthetics of the past with the comforts of the modern era, making it not only beautiful but also pleasant to stay in.

It was built between 1902 and 1908, and Reinach would come to spend almost twenty summers in the villa, before passing away in 1928. After his death, the villa was bequeathed to Institut de France (of which he was a member), but his children and grandchildren continued to live in the house until 1966. 

On the ground floor, a large hall (known as the Thyrôreion) welcomes the visitors. On one of its walls is written the Greek word XAIPE (in English “enjoy yourself”). All of the rooms on this floor are centred around a square courtyard, surrounded by twelve Carrara marble columns. A sundial in the middle of the yard indicates the evening hours. 

The furniture in the library is of particular importance: wooden chests and stools were among the main furnishings of a Greek house. The two desks in this room were used by Théodore Reinach when he wanted to work standing up, as was customary in ancient times.

Another link to ancient customs can be found in the dining room (called The Triklinos), where plaited leather beds, at the same height as the tripod tables, made it possible to eat from a reclining position.

On the first floor is the villa’s private areas, including bedrooms and bathrooms.

Théodore Reinach’s bedroom (called Erotés) was dedicated to Eros, God of love and desire, and thus painted red, reminiscent of the palace of Knossos in Crete, while the bed was made in the style of an original model found in Pompeii. 

Around the villa is a beautiful garden, full of Mediterranean plants and fruit trees. In the summertime, concerts are given here on a regular basis.

The villa remains a manifestation of one man’s passionate interest for history, and the interlinking of two eras through one building.  

Villa Kérylos