The French artist Jean Cocteau loved Villefranche-sur-Mer on the Côte d'Azur, and he presented the picturesque fishing town with a work that still bears fruit.
Image: picture alliance/prisma/C. Heeb
Advertisement
The French painter, poet, novelist, film director, ballet scenario writer and playwright (1889-1963) loved to watch the port, with its sometimes leisurely, sometimes bustling pace. After the roaring 20s, when he cured his opium addiction here and, as he put it, haunted the place with his Parisian friends, he returned time and again. He painted the fishermen, lived with them and wrote about them. He revealed that he spent the "best time" of his life in Villefranche.
Bust of Cocteau opposite the Welcome HotelImage: picture alliance/maxppp/Sylvestre
Cocteau resided in room 22 in the Welcome Hotel. The hotel still exists. If you can't get to sleep in the converted 17th-century convent, you needn't be distressed. You can watch the lapping of the waves or listen to the gentle creaking of the landing stage as Cocteau did, from the balcony, his "opera box".
Image: picture-alliance/maxppp/A. Brochiero
Scenes from his films on the walls, over the bed a quotation from the master: "De temps en temps il faut se reposer de ne rien faire" ("From time to time you have to take a rest from doing nothing"). Here Cocteau, the prolific writer and eccentric, found the ideal matrix for his creativity. This is where one of his major works, "Le Testament d'Orphée" (The Testament of Orpheus), came into being.
"Le Testament d'Orphée" (1960), DVD Arthaus StudiocanalImage: Arthaus Studiocanal
"Orphée" was also the name he gave to each of his three boats, which were successively moored here. Nowadays huge ocean-going cruise ships filled with day trippers drop anchor at Cap Ferrat. In the port of Villefranche they seem like foreign bodies. The fishing village was built on a steep slope above one of the most beautiful bays on the French Riviera, and unlike so many places on the Côte d'Azur, it's neither unnaturally neat nor has it been taken over by celebrity homes.
Tourism is necessary
On the one hand, the town, with its 5,300 residents, lives from its informal atmosphere. On the other, Villefranche-sur-Mer possesses a currency of which it must make the most in order to defend itself against the competition from Cannes and Nice: at 350 hectares, the bay of Villefranche is the fifth-largest natural deep harbor in the country. Here giant liners from overseas can anchor without risk."Europe in ten days" isn't exactly the philosophy to which Villefranche has subscribed, but the community simply cannot afford to deprive itself of some 200,000 Japanese and American tourists a year. Between 60 and 70 percent of them make day trips to Cannes, Nice and Monaco; others prefer to remain on board their liners. About a fifth of them do at least stop off in Villefranche itself. But those who take the town seriously come time and time again - like Jean Cocteau.Frescoes for a chapel
Chapelle Saint-Pierre in Villefranche (on the right in the picture)Image: picture alliance/Global Travel Images/Travelstock44
Image: picture alliance/prisma/K. Kreder
In the 1950s, members of the "Prud'hommie des Pecheurs", the town's fishermen's association, encouraged him in his idea of decorating the Chapelle Saint-Pierre on the jetty with frescoes. The 14th-century Romanesque chapel dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen was in a sorry state at the time - a neglected storeroom for nets and other fishing equipment. As a sign of his almost brotherly attachment, Cocteau covered it almost completely with paintings as disconcerting as they are fascinating: five main images, three depicting episodes from the life of St. Peter and two evoking Mediterranean life, such as the annual gypsy pilgrimage to Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, which look like rock paintings in a sea cavern. To this day they remain a blessing for the fishermen's association, which administrates this gem. The proceeds from its entrance fees are used to supplement the meager pensions of elderly fishermen. Taking photographs is absolutely forbidden inside. That leads the town's tourism officials to tear out their hair, but it doesn't matter to the fishermen. After all, it's their chapel.
Image: picture alliance/maxppp/Sylvestre
A villa as an artwork in itself
Villa Santo Sospir
There’s not just one work by Jean Cocteau hanging on the wall here. He decorated all the walls - humorously, sensuously or mysteriously - as the fancy took him.
The villa is owned by the Melia family, and is at 14 Avenue Jean Cocteau in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Would-be visitors can make an appointment by email to see it at visits@santosospir.com. The entrance fee is €15 per person.
The tapestry depicts the story of Judith and Holofernes. Mythological motifs, figures and scenes fascinated Jean Cocteau, and appear in many of his works.
The myth of the sun, or the head of Apollo: to the right and left are priests of the sun, who can also be interpreted as an reference to the fishermen of Villefranche.
The owner of the house, Francine Weisweiller, was a generous patron. She supported Cocteau’s film-making and he was a welcome guest in her home. As a thank-you gift, he created his first fresco around the fireplace
On the right is a sleeping fisherman; on the left, a unicorn. In 2007 the villa was declared a historical monument. Cocteau also shot a film about the house, as well as scenes for “Le Testament d’Orphée.”
On the vaulted ceiling of the stairwell, the spirit of sleep keeps watch in vibrant colors. Cocteau spoke of the villa as “la maison tatouée,“ the tattooed house.
For more than 13 years, Cocteau created imaginative frescoes, mosaics and tapestries in the villa. He was considered a leading figure in French avant-garde art. As a writer and poet, painter and film director, he was the first multimedia artist of his time.
"De temps en temps il faut se reposer de ne rien faire" – that quotation from Jean Cocteau accords well with his philosophy of life: from time to time you have to take a rest from doing nothing!
The villa Santo Sospir on Cap Ferrat is on view, though only by appointment. It belonged to Francine Weisweiller, a friend of Jean Cocteau. He was a frequent visitor to the villa, and in 1950, he began to decorate it with frescoes. Nowadays the villa is a historically listed monument.
Jean Cocteau Museum in MentonImage: Picture alliance/dpa/P. Varotto/Musee Jean Cocteau
Further following in the footsteps of the famous avant-garde artist, the Cocteau Museum in Menton is well worth a visit, as is a look into the Salle des Mariages, the official room for weddings, which he decorated in the town hall.
is/ks/ms (mit kna,villasantosospir.fr)
A sea of deepest blue: France's Côte d'Azur
Provence, with its famous Côte d'Azur, was one of the most popular destinations in Europe in the summer of 2022. Its secluded coves, hidden beaches, and gorgeous little towns have all you need for the perfect vacation.
Image: Global Travel Images/picture alliance
Cassis and the Calanques
The Cote d'Azur — named after the deep blue color of its sea — is part of France’s Mediterranean coast. It stretches from Cassis in the West to Menton in the East. The fishing port of Cassis has a pretty spectacular back garden — the Calanques National Park, with its fjord-like inlets framed by towering jagged cliffs. You can also take a boat trip there from Cassis.
Image: Kreder Katja/prisma/picture alliance
Coastal Road
Those setting out along the coastal road can look forward to around 250 kilometers (155 miles) of rock formations and sandy beaches between Cassis and Menton. You can enjoy a dip in one of the countless little bays, or immerse yourself in French "joie de vivre" in local towns and villages. A beautiful seaside commune is Le Lavandou, where former French First Lady Carla Bruni owns a house.
Image: Boutria Luc/maxppp/picture alliance
Saint Tropez
Saint Tropez beach was the backdrop for a legendary scene in "And God Created Woman" starring Brigitte Bardot. The 1955 movie was the launching pad for her career, and also for Saint Tropez’s rapid evolution from a sleepy small town to a hang-out for the international jet set. In the summer the place bursts at the seams with celebrities, their fans, and vacationing sun-worshippers.
Image: Christian Liewig/ABACAPRESS/picture alliance
Saint-Raphael
The hugely varied coast with its fairytale coves is also a popular destination among watersports enthusiasts. You can only see the entire Cote d'Azur from a distance, i.e. out at sea. If you fancy that spectacle, you can book a day trip from one of the ports. That said, the harbors and marinas by the Cote d'Azur are themselves a feast for the eyes. This one (pictured) is in Saint-Raphael.
Image: Valletta Vittorio-AGF/Bildagentur-online/AGF/picture alliance
Corniche d'Or
Roads that run along and around cliffs are called “corniches” — and the Corniche d'Or between Fréjus and Mandelieu is considered one of the most beautiful routes along the Cote d'Azur. It is named after the golden color of the cliffs in the sunlight. But beware: The captivating views cause a lot of drivers to suddenly slam on the brakes.
When it comes to Cannes, many people will first think of the famous film festival. Every year in early summer the movie world descends on the Boulevard de la Croisette, which is also host to all the major luxury hotels. The construction of the beachside strip in 1868 marked the beginning of the former fishing village’s transformation into one of European aristocracy’s favorite haunts.
Image: Mandoga Media/picture alliance
Antibes
In 1946, Pablo Picasso spent three months in an old, run-down chateau in Antibes. The Spanish artist turned out a range of works in that period — paintings, sketches, tapestries and ceramics — that he would later donate to the city. They formed the basis for a museum opened in the chateau in 1966. Visitors can appreciate who and what were the chief inspirations for the pioneering painter.
Image: Fraser Hall/robertharding/picture alliance
Nice
The 5-kilometer-long (3 mile) beach and the Promenade des Anglais that runs along it are the chief landmark of Nice. It was built in the 19th century for wealthy winter vacationers from Britain. For a fantastic view of the old town of Nice together with beach and promenade, try the Colline du Chateau observation point.
What sits pretty on the French Riviera but is at the same time is an independent entity? Monaco, the glamorous city-state between Nice and Menton, is the second smallest country on the planet. It is also a stop on the annual Formula One calendar. The Monaco Grand Prix sees city streets temporarily converted into a devilishly challenging racetrack.
Image: HOCH ZWEI/picture alliance
Menton
Menton has a high proportion of French and Italian holidaymakers. A world away from the hustle and bustle of Cannes or Nice, Menton is authentic and distinctly low-key. In the winter, the picturesque town is the warmest place on the Cote d'Azur. Citrus fruits flourish particularly well here, which is celebrated every February with a lemon festival.
