Did you know Villa Leopolda boasts the best sea views in the south of France? This sprawling estate perched high above Villefranche-sur-Mer is more than just a breathtaking panorama. It’s a living testament to a century of opulent history scandalous affairs and surprising twists. Villa Leopolda is one of the largest homes in the world. It features nineteen bedrooms fourteen bathrooms multiple swimming pools a bowling alley and even its own movie theatre. The villa sits on ten acres of immaculate grounds. Fifty full-time gardeners are needed to maintain the twenty-acre orchard of olive and fruit trees.
King Leopold II of Belgium originally purchased the villa in 1902. He used it with his teenage mistress. He showered her with gifts money and a noble title. He even gifted her Villa Leopolda itself.
During World War I Villa Leopolda served as a military hospital. In the 1930s American millionaire Ogden Codman significantly expanded the villa. It remains the largest in the area. In 1955 Alfred Hitchcock filmed his classic movie Catch a Thief starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly at Villa Leopolda.
The villa passed through several notable hands. Izaak Walton Killam purchased it from Codman. His wife inherited it and later sold it to Fiat president Gianni Agnelli and his wife Marella. In 1963 the Agnellis sold it to Canadian philanthropist Dorothy J Killam. She lived there until her death in 1965.
In the 1980s Lebanese-Monegasque banker Edmond Safra and his Brazilian wife Lily Safra became the owners. They hosted lavish parties at Villa Leopolda. Guests included Ronald Reagan Frank Sinatra Prince Charles and Prince Rainier III. The parties were legendary. John Fairchild described one as the ultimate in conspicuous consumption. Female guests received ornate boxes featuring a portrait of the villa.
Lily Safra’s life was full of drama. Her second husband died mysteriously from gunshot wounds. The case was ruled a suicide. Her children however believe he was murdered. Lily met Edmond Safra while settling her husband’s estate. Edmond’s brothers disapproved of the marriage. They were suspicious of Lily. Edmond broke it off briefly. He later reconciled with Lily marrying her in 1976. Their prenuptial agreement was 600 pages long.
Tragedy struck again in 1999 when Edmond Safra died in a fire in their Monte Carlo penthouse. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear. Some suspect Lily others the Russian mafia. Lily Safra inherited a fortune. She still owns Villa Leopolda.
Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov attempted to buy Villa Leopolda in 2008 for 370 million euros plus 19.5 million for the furniture. He later tried to back out. A lawsuit ensued. The court ruled against Prokhorov. Safra donated his deposit to charity. Prokhorov denied the purchase claiming he refused to do business in France after a previous incident.
Lily Safra who maintained Monaco residency spent much of her time in London. She reportedly had little contact with her four children. She died alone in 2022 at age 87. Villa Leopolda remains a symbol of extravagance. It stands as a silent witness to a century of captivating stories.