How about a journey back in time right here at Villa Indochinoise? This isn’t just any building. It’s a story etched in stone and glass, a testament to a life lived between two worlds.
Let’s step back to the year 1900. Victorin Larue an industrialist from Toulon buys this land. He had spent a good portion of his career in Indochina. He envisioned a home that reflected his experiences in the Far East. And so, Villa Indochinoise began to take shape.
Look at the architecture around Villa Indochinoise. It is not just a house. It is an extreme-oriental colonial-style villa. Larue hired J. Burron to construct his dream. In April 1901, Burron requested a connection to the sewers. Even the smallest details mattered to Larue.
The villa boasts unique features. The stained glass in the stairwell is signed by Thèodore Granier. This glass is not just decorative. It depicts Asian themes like dragons and bamboo. But look closely. Geometric and animal designs subtly weave in.
Did you notice the name Rovella incised on a roof truss in the attic? Rovella was the carpenter. He added his mark to this unique home. Larue expanded his property. He bought more land from Marie Thérèse Ghiran in 1904.
Larue bequeathed the property to Louis Palanque. Palanque was an engineer and industrialist in Saigon. Eventually, Larue’s widow bought it back for 250,000 francs. In 1922, Octave Loras acquired the villa. He manufactured Ferrix electrical transformers. He renamed it Villa Ergos and made it his company’s headquarters. Loras even built a workshop in the park south of the villa. It was briefly named Villa Branly.
Pierre Desmet purchased the villa and factory buildings in 1943. He was the director of the company Le roi du bleu. He set up a textile business in part of the workshops. The villa regained its name Villa Indochinoise.
Notice the attention to detail. The arbaletrier design. The rare bamboo-shaped zinc downspouts. Also the ceramic balusters with lotus leaf motifs. Turquoise roof tiles adorn the belvedere. The main house and belvedere feature pavilion roofs covered in mechanical flat tiles.
Inside Villa Indochinoise the staircases are stunning. The main staircase is wooden. The service staircase is masonry. A symmetrical double staircase leads from the dining room to the garden. Chinese earthenware pots decorate the garden balustrades. A pergola with rustic pillars stands in the garden.
Many interior decorations have been preserved. The walls are likely made of rubble stone with plaster. The building has a basement a raised ground floor and three square stories. The exterior elevations are orderly.
Take note of the ceramic friezes with animal motifs. These are turquoise green and beige. The glasswork is remarkable. The stained-glass window in the stairwell features Asian themes. These themes include dragons vases and bamboo. Landscapes and birds decorate the glass panels.
The entry door portals and marquee show Art Nouveau style. The painted ceilings once adorned most rooms. Dragons decorate a landing ceiling. The belvedere’s wooden brackets display two colors hinting at a former polychrome facade. Bamboo patterns appear in the oriel.
The Villa Indochinoise displays a coherent theme. The decorations show influence from the Far East. Victorin Larue knew this region well. He had lived there for a long time. Some decor elements may have come from the Far East. Other elements were custom-made.
The zinc work the glass painting and the lotus balusters are particularly refined. The Villa Indochinoise stands as a symbol of a life bridging continents and cultures. The Villa Indochinoise is now a private residence in 2023. It continues to whisper stories of its past.