A stone villa on the French Riviera that’s full of headline-grabbing features, from its Roman history and natural springs to visits from Princess Grace Kelly, has come to the market for €11.5 million (US$12.9 million).
Known as Les Moulins du Villars, the estate “is unique for many reasons: its land, its privacy, its restored old stones and its magical feeling of peace and quiet,” said Peter Illovsky of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty, which is handling the listing.
The estate, which is situated within a nature reserve, has been known for centuries for the healing properties of the two natural spring-water streams that run through it.
“Princess Grace Kelly found the springs soothing, and enjoyed spending time on the property to recharge her batteries and recuperate,” Illovsky said.
The main villa is an almost 6,000-square-foot former olive oil mill dating back in part to the 14th century. Spanning four floors connected by an elevator, the house has two living rooms, a kitchen and rear kitchen, a wine cellar, seven bedrooms, an office and a Bollywood-style television room, according to the listing.
One of the most striking features in the villa is the glass-encased working water wheel in the middle of the living room, powered by one of the streams, Illovsky said.
“The owners bought the property in 2008 after falling in love with its gardens and private location,” Illovsky said. The family, who Mansion Global couldn’t identify, “took seven months to travel the world right after they bought the property and brought back inspiration for each of the bedrooms which is why they all look so different.While sleeping at the house, you can actually sleep in Peru, Morocco, India, Switzerland or Laos.”
Outside of the main house is Le Sanctuaire. The semi-restored ruin dating from Roman times, is an ancient flour mill and industrial forge. It’s “used today as an event space, but that is the oldest building on the property and was built with Roman cement, at least 1,700 years old.”
The property also has a guest house, a pool house, a heated infinity pool, a fitness studio, a tennis court that doubles as a helipad, a four-car garage and panoramic views.
Plus there’s fruit and citrus trees, cypresses and olive groves, which can be harvested and taken to the communal mill in nearby Gilette to be processed into extra virgin olive oil.
But the most unusual feature on the estate might be the man-made tunnel that runs “parallel to the course of the stream and meets up with it at 50 meters inside the mountain,” Illovsky explained. “It goes under the mountain and comes out at the entrance of the property. It enables you to see the [river] from underground, [and is] currently being widened for ease of access.”
This article originally appeared on Mansion Global.
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