A historic Belle Époque château near Nice hits the market for €25 million
The Domaine des Aspres in Biot, a vast Belle Époque estate featuring a 39-room château and the Côte d’Azur’s first Olympic-size swimming pool, has been listed for sale at €25 million.
Just a short drive from Nice, a remarkable Belle Époque estate steeped in Riviera history has been put up for sale.
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he Domaine des Aspres, in Biot, is now on the market for €25 million.
Set within 182 hectares of private land, the property is centred around an imposing 39-room château built in the 1920s.
Designed by Nice-born architect Aaron Messiah — also behind the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and the Villa Masséna — the residence reflects the grandeur of the Belle Époque.
One of the estate’s most famous features lies just beyond the château walls: an Art Deco swimming pool that made regional history.
Built in the 1930s, it was the first Olympic-size pool on the Côte d’Azur and was inaugurated by actress Marlene Dietrich.
It later served as a training site for athletes ahead of the 1936 Olympic Games.
The château spans nearly 2,900 square metres and is surrounded by landscaped gardens inspired by French, Italian and Spanish traditions, arranged across natural terraces with stairways and water features.
Major renovation work carried out in 2010 added modern comforts such as air conditioning, high-speed internet and marble bathrooms, while preserving original decorative elements.
Several additional buildings are included within the estate, which was originally commissioned by press magnate Léon Bailby and later owned by the Malard family, associated with the Monoprix retail group.
The Domaine des Aspres is currently being marketed by Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty for €25 million.