A French Riviera Penthouse Where The Kennedys Spent Their Summers Is Up For Sale

The French Riviera is drenched in sun, decadence and romance – just take a look at the vibrant paintings of Monet, Picasso or Matisse and it’s clear why this stretch of French coastline has become a hotspot for the rich and famous of the 20th and 21st centuries. And one family, in particular, enjoyed setting up their summer home right here: the Kennedy family.

Discover The Penthouse Where The Kennedy Family Called Their Summer Home

One of the most coveted peninsulas of the Riviera is Cap d’Antibes, an area known – behind its crystal seas and shaded beaches – for being the epicentre of wealth and exclusivity, with a heritage rivalling the Chateau Marmont. At the heart of this peninsula sits a building once known as one of the most fashionable hotels in the Cote D’Azur: Le Provençal. 

As Europe recovered from the first world war, and the Bright Young Things of Britain and America looked overseas to spend their summers in sunnier climes, the Cote D’Azur became a place brimming with excitement; and particularly so, Cap d’Antibes. Le Provençal was the hotel du jour for the most influential jet-setters and members of high society of the 20th century. Counting figures such as Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and Miles Davies, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway in its guestbook, it became one of the world’s most notorious summer pads. 

Kennedy family in 1931

And one of its most regular and famed set of visitors were the Kennedys – the sprawling clan of politicians and changemakers who went on to shape the cultural and political face of the West. When Joseph P. Kennedy – one of the earliest members of the dynasty to enter the political sphere – was American Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1938 and 1939, his family (which included a young John F. Kennedy) spent long, hot summers recuperating beneath the pine trees and cicadas, moving along the rocky coast from Cannes to Cap d’Antibes to spend time with the other prominent guests at Le Provençal. 

As the 20th century moved on and attentions turned to new holiday destinations, Le Provençal’s popularity declined, leading to its eventual closure in 1977. But this year, Cap d’Antibes is experiencing a revival. Coinciding with a €13 million uplift to the enclave’s seafront, Le Provençal has undergone a £300m restoration, returning the building to its former, star-filled glory.

Kennedy family on holiday in Antibes; Jackie and John F Kennedy on holiday

Take A Look Inside

Of the building’s 41 new apartments, one of its most spectacular and sought-after penthouses is now on the market: ‘Penthouse Nacre’ is a triplex residence across the top three floors, and has been meticulously designed by Invisible Collection to recreate the elegant but subtle theatrics that inspired several generations of international changemakers. 

Each room is decorated with touches that carry the iconic building’s history – in the lobby is a rare vase designed by Maison Jean Roger, a ceramicist whose pieces were collected by Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Coco Chanel, both visitors to Le Provençal, and in the reception room, a 1971 cocktail bar by Willy Rizzo – the photographer-turned-designer who photographed Elizabeth Taylor on a Cap d’Antibes beach in 1949 and the Kennedys boarding the Christina in 1958.

Decadence is at the heart of this penthouse; the reception room is bordered on one side by a loggia on one side, and a swimming pool on the other. Through this reception is the Club Room, decorated in a bold palette inspired by the colours of the Riviera, and with doors opening onto the terrace. 

But while it would be easy to get lost in the grandeur of the apartment, in true Kennedy style, it has also been designed with family in mind. The family kitchen features a breakfast bar and spacious marble worktops, and downstairs two playfully designed family lounge and games areas, a study and cinema room take up the sprawling floor plan to distinguish its evolution from hotel to living space.

The penthouse has six bedroom suites, all inspired by the golden age of design and decadence  – the principal suite and the VIP guest suite, located on the bottom and top floors respectively, open up directly onto terraces, boasting living areas, dressing areas, marble-clad bathrooms and walk-in dressing rooms.

In the other bedroom suites, striking statement pieces channel the Kennedys’ era of opulence. Among these are a Transatlantic chair (1927), by designer Eileen Grey, inspired by the deck chairs of 1920s ocean liners; a Pagoda side table by Jean-Michel Frank and Adolphe Chanaux, created in 1935; and Juliana Lima Vasconcellos’ Giraffe chair.  

The penthouse is, perhaps unsurprisingly, listed at $45m; but it doesn’t just offer an exquisitely decorated home, it’s a time capsule, too – taking you, Midnight in Paris style, back to an age of glamour, indulgence, and joie de vivre.

Find out more at leprovencal.com