coco chanel
It's no wonder that Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel was inspired by the French Riviera; it was sailing in Cap Martin with her then lover the Duke of Westminister that they spotted the land in which to build the very famous Villa Pausa (now currently on the market for a cool $52 million, through London real estate firm Knight Frank).
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| Gabrielle Chanel |
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| Coco Chanel had architect Robert Steitz take inspiration from the Cistercian convent orphanage where Chanel grew up, but on the vaulted brick ceilings you would also find the crown from the Duke of Westmister's Coat of arms. |
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| Coco Chanel in a tree in the garden of her home.
It was in this garden in 2007 that Chanel had a perfume created by Jacques Polge, a scent inspired by the villa and its five acre garden planted with Lavender and Rosemary called "28 La Pausa".
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| A dinner hosted by Chanel in the Villa
There were many famous guests that passed through such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Igor Stravinsky and Luchino Visconti.
  Coco Chanel's original bedroom was in wrought iron and pink drapes. After the death of the Duke of Westminister in 1953, Chanel decided to sell La Pausa and it was then bought by Emery Reves. Reves was the literary agent of Winston Churchill. The British Prime Minister was a regular guest at the villa in the late 1950's. Reves also played host to the likes of Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly and Asistotle Onassis to name a few. |
