Properties - PrimeFindings, LLC- Villa La Vigie

The Villa “LA VIGIE”

Villa - Avenue Princesse Grace
06190 Roquebrune Cap Martin France

Tel:800 595 0898

Before 1900, there was practically nothing built upon the land situated between Saint Roman and the sea.  There was a little house, a shelter for the fishermen and fields of planted olive trees, which in great part belonged to Mr. de Loth, the Mayor of Monaco, Mr. Briguiboul, the Director of the “Cercle des Etrangers” and Sir William Ingram, a wealthy English baron. 
En 1898, the President of the SBM, Camille Blanc, founded the “French Real Estate Company of Monte Carlo”, which in 1910 leased Loth’s piece of land located in between the route of  Menton and the railroad tracks for 14 years. 
The SBM built greenhouses and, after a prolongation of the lease for an additional 35 years, bought the land in 1926.  It also bought Bruguiboul’s land, which was situated towards the sea and comprised the point called “La Veille”, which later became deformed into “La Vieille” (meaning old in French).

In 1926 and 1927 the SBM started major construction. The Country Club complex was inaugurated on February 27, 1928 and the Beach opened on July 16, 1928.  The upper part still belonged to Sir Ingram. 
Sir William Ingram, Baron of Westgate-on-sea (County of Kent) and his wife Lady Elise Collingwood-Stirling had bought land from a Mr. Van de Wirck in 1898.   This land was divided in to 2 sections, one was situated beside the lots of Mr. de Loth down by the Saint Roman tennis courts and the other part was the peak of “La Vieille” now called “La Veglia”. 
The first lot of Ingram’s, on the bottom of the tennis club, was rented for 25 years in 1914 by the SBM in order to augment the area of the gardens for the plant nursery. 
In 1925, the SBM purchased this land.  Following the death of Sir William Ingram, his heirs claimed to have already sold the land to a certain Mr. Broocke-Hitching.  The affair was resolved and the SBM became sole owner. 
At this point the interest of the land was above all the discovery made by Sir Ingram of an underground spring.  It was named “Ingram Spring” and was used during many years by the SBM before it integrated the “Société Monegasque des Eaux” (the Monaco water company) in 1960.

In 1902, on the land’s point, Sir William Ingram built a magnificent villa called “La Vigie”, which was considered one of the most beautiful residences on the Riviera.  Its garden was full of rarities, essentially tropical varieties.  Birds lived in freedom in the park and an enormous bird house lodged different birds of prey: eagles, condors, etc.  Sir Ingram gave extraordinary parties and the villa became one of the preferred playgrounds of high society of the French Riviera. 
In 1919, Ingram sold the villa to Mr. Broocke-Hitching for £35,000 sterling.  This Londonian only kept it for a few years during which he conducted bad business dealings in England.  “La Vigie” was put up for sale in an auction on March 7, 1923.  Very few interested parties manifested themselves and in an extension of the auction the Princess Tsoulouskidze purchased the villa for 400,000 French francs.  Of American nationality, the Princess lived in the villa until 1939. 
In February 1939, Mrs. Emma Shiverick Dunbar, residing Avenue Kléber in Paris, became the new owner, but a few months later the villa became abandoned.  Then the arrival of German troops into the Principality during the 2nd World War profoundly transformed “La Vigie”. 
As it was a fabulous observation point, the villa was rapidly occupied.  Its gardens were dug out in order to create trenches covered with barbed wire and mines were buried.  A fort crowned the cape.  
A the end of the hostilities, the access to the villa was again possible, however, it had undergone major damage.  
It was then that the “French Real Estate Company of Monte Carlo” found itself the owner.  The only members of the company were Mrs. Elisabeth Anna Anderson called “Kéna Orn”, residing in Glasgow and the wife of an English baron, Sir John Mac Taggart and Mrs. H. Mesrine of Nice.

Finally in 1952, the SBM realized that the land, set within the Beach complex, did not belong to it and acquired the villa for the sum of 35 million French francs, 5 million of which, were given to Sir John Mac Taggart.

The villa remained unoccupied until 1986.  It was then restored and occupied until 1997 by Mr. Karl Lagerfeld.   
La Vigie has been since then entirely refurbished into an Art Deco-inspired house with an elegant medley of chocolate browns and creamy beiges, blond wood and satin curtain. The tru luxury is that from almost every room, dining room, billiard room you have a dreamy view of the Mediterranean sea. 
This house overlooks the Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel  at the edge of the principality.

Avenue Princesse Grace – 06190 Roquebrune Cap Martin – France
Tel: 800 595 0898

An entirely refurbished villa into Art Deco with an elegant medley of chocolate browns and creamy beiges, blond wood and satin curtains. Spaciousness, luminosity and refinement on the three floors with 6 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2 shower rooms, 2 dressing rooms and balconies.

Exclusive Suites