Villa Cyrnos

Villa Cyrnos is a Belle Époque-style villa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the Côte d'Azur in the south of France. It was designed by Hans-Georg Tersling, one of the most productive architects of the period on the French Riviera.

The house photographed in 1912

History

The villa, named after the ancient Greek for Corsica, was built in 1892 for Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French and the last Empress consort of the French.[1] The former Empress wanted her own palace instead of staying with her friend Elisabeth, known as "Sisi", Empress of Austria. Elisabeth became a regular guest at the villa.[1] Queen Victoria was another of Eugénie's friends and visited the villa annually.[2]

In 1920, the villa was inherited by Marie-Laetitia Bonaparte who, during her widowhood, maintained a scandalous relationship with Norberto Fischer, a military man twenty years her junior. As the sole heir in her will, he inherited the house in 1926 and lived there—since his 1928 marriage, with opera singer Vina Bovy—until his death in 1950. In 1960 Bovy sold the house.[3]

Villa Cypris

It is adjacent to Villa Cypris.[4]

References
  1. Seward, Desmond (2004). Eugénie: The Empress and her Empire. Stroud: Sutton. p. 288. ISBN 0-7509-2979-0.
  2. "Queen Victoria And The Riviera. A Memorable Anniversary". The Times. London. 12 April 1912. p. 5.
  3. Florquin, Joos (1982). Ten huize van... (in Dutch). Leuven: Davidsfonds. p. 203. ISBN 978-90615237-27. (interview with Vina Bovy)
  4. Bradley-Hole, Kathryn (2006). Villa Gardens of the Mediterranean. London: Aurum Press. p. 95. ISBN 1-84513-124-X.

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