Villa Elaïa: A Stunning French Riviera Revival

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In Mouans-Sartoux, in the hills above Cannes, a 1980s villa was carefully deconstructed and rebuilt, preserving its original structure. Marcoux Mathern & Associés, led by architect and project partner Pierre-Guillaume Mathern, directed the transformation of the three-hectare estate and completed the renovation in 2025.

Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marcoux, Mathern & Associés

The result, now named Villa Elaïa, shows that architectural renewal does not require erasing the current context. Olive trees retain their silver foliage against the grey stone, while maritime pines throw elongated shadows throughout the slope.

The project prioritized structural preservation and respect for the site, including the olive groves, pines, and the villa's remaining authentic character. The renovation was also planned with a future market launch in mind.

Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marcoux, Mathern & Associés
Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marion Roudil

The central architectural intervention is an exterior gallery constructed from metal and clad in bronze and wood screens, connecting the main villa to the guest villa. This contemporary addition contrasts with the traditional facades, establishing a distinct yet compatible relationship with the existing structures.

"The real challenge was to take an 80s architectural style and completely modernize it while preserving its soul. We didn't want to alter the character of this traditional villa, but rather reveal its potential: an open, fluid space connected to its landscape. Our intervention focuses on a bold yet restrained contemporary gesture that engages with the existing structure, rather than replacing it" - Pierre-Guillaume Mathern, architect and partner in charge of the project.

Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marcoux, Mathern & Associés
Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marcoux, Mathern & Associés

The existing floor plan was replaced with open rooms that transition seamlessly, delineated only by bespoke, purpose-built elements. The screens, resembling the exterior motif, envelop structural columns indoors, shaping sightlines without obstructing them. A custom parquet floor, installed in a random pattern, provides subtle texture throughout the open spaces.

The colour palette, consisting of beige, chocolate, and bronze, is expressed through mineral plasters with rounded contours, micro-mosaics in the bathrooms, and travertine in the main suite with cavities filled with transparent resin. Each bedroom features an en-suite bathroom, individually designed while unified in style.

Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marcoux, Mathern & Associés
Villa Elaïa. Photography by Marcoux, Mathern & Associés

The house was designed to accommodate both hosting and daily living. Amenities include a cinema room, gym, private office, and a wine cellar visible beneath a glass partition in the entrance hall. The exterior features a redesigned pool area and multiple social spaces across the grounds, including a pool house, a lounge adjacent to a preserved ruin, a pétanque court, a playground, and a golf practice area.

“For this villa, it was essential, of course, to tick all the functional boxes, but we wanted to go further. Each space had to have its own personality, its own unique detail. We worked with materials, textures, and light so that the villa tells a story: that of a place that has been transformed, but without denying its origins. This search for a balance between individuality and universality guided each of our decisions.” - Pierre-Guillaume Mathern.