The municipality of Roquebrune Cap Martin borders Monaco and Menton. In Roquebrune, we can distinguish the old and the new village, both separated by the main street. This distinction can be seen in older and more recent architecture. The old village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin overlooking the coast is a maze of pretty, colourful alleys and vaulted passages. At the top of the village stands a medieval dungeon from the 10th century.
To the west of Cap Martin, on the Monaco side, you will find two beautiful beaches isolated from the road and set in a magnificent landscape and to the east of Cap Martin, on the Menton side, a large pebble beach of about one kilometre. Those seeking tranquillity will head for the beaches to the west where the access to the sea is by stairs. The pebble beaches of Roquebrune Cap Martin are beautiful and natural. The Cap Martin shoreline trail offers lush vegetation and sublime coves.
Today you can discover a unique architectural ensemble in Roquebrune Cap Martin: the E-1027 villa of Eileen Gray, the Cabanon and the Camping Units of Le Corbusier, and the bar-restaurant l’Etoile de mer ! more commonly called Cap Moderne.
Villa E-1027 is a true icon of modern architecture. It was Eileen Gray’s first architectural creation. It was built from 1926 to 1929 by the architect and decorator Eileen Gray and the architect and art critic Jean Badovici. For three years, Eileen Gray designed the furniture and, in collaboration with her partner Jean Badovici, the plans for the project.
The villa, as well as its gardens and grounds, are classified as historic monuments.
The name of the house is an intertwining of the initials: “E for Eileen, 10 of John’s J, 2 of Badovici’s B, 7 of Gray’s G”.
The villa, emptied of its furniture, was very degraded when the Conservatoire du littoral acquired it in 1999.
The architect Le Corbusier left his marks on Roquebrune.
The shed of the architect Le Corbusier is located on the “ancien chemin des Douaniers”. The “Cabanon” is an example of a minimalist space that represents the ergonomic and functionalist approach of the Corbusier. It is a small wooden structure with a single-sided roof. The dimensions on the square floor are 3.66m x 3.66m and 2.26m high. The interior is entirely made of wood. Two windows illuminate the 15sqm in which there is a rest area, a work area, a toilet area and a sink with minimalist furniture consisting of a bed, a table and some storage space. Le Corbusier painted the floor yellow and one panel in green. The entrance is decorated with a wall painting. Thus the shed became a work of art and an icon of modern architecture in which minimalism was a real concern for architects.
Roquebrune was also the place of death of Le Corbusier on “la Plage du Buse” and his tomb, which he had designed himself, is located at the top of Roquebrune.
Roquebrune is divided into four parts: the perched village at 225 metres, Cap Martin with its “Parc des Oliviers” and its luxury residences, Carnolès where a large part of the population lives and Saint-Roman, the closest to Monaco where the Monte-Carlo Country Club is located. Monaco’s assets are mainly oriented towards the centre and the valleys, which are much more accessible than the seaside properties. First-time buyers are often interested in Carnolès or the Chemin du Vallonet.
