Among the countless luxury properties in Monaco, one stands out above all, La Vigie. It is a villa with a legendary history, as it is located on an ancient cave that was reportedly inhabited in ancient times by a witch.
Located on the promontory of Montecarlo Beach, nestled in a private forest, it offers indescribable views of the Mediterranean, the Principality, and the bay of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. It was one of the favorite places of Claude Monet, who in the 1880s was so captivated by the beauty of the place that he painted two impressionist paintings titled Montecarlo seen from Roquebrune. One belongs to a private American collection, and the other belongs to the Grimaldi family.
It was not until 1902 that the British journalist and politician Sir William Ingram decided to build a luxurious property that fell into disrepair after his death. Three decades passed when the Société des Bains de Mer de Monaco, the state-owned and semi-public company that is the economic, tourist, and entertainment engine behind the international fame of Montecarlo, acquired it.
When Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III, she took care to luxuriously furnish the princely residence, which Caroline of Monaco rented to her close friend Karl Lagerfeld for a meager amount, as the Chanel designer invested 14 million euros in remodeling it to his liking. However, he always respected the art deco decorative elements.
Long seasons passed from 1986 to 1997, when the princess kindly invited Lagerfeld to find another place because she planned to marry Prince Ernst of Hanover. However, the couple never lived there.
La Vigie has an area of 600 square meters divided into three floors. Upon entering the main door, you are greeted by a monumental entrance hall with its majestic staircase leading to the upper floors. The hall leads to the dining room and a spacious living room that opens onto a magnificent terrace. The ground floor also features a billiard room and library, as well as a modern kitchen equipped with state-of-the-art appliances.
On the first floor, there are two large double bedrooms with private bathrooms, a slightly smaller double bedroom with a shower, a private office, and a dressing room. And on the top floor, there is a double bedroom with a bathroom, two double bedrooms — one slightly smaller — sharing a spacious bathroom, a private office, and a dressing room. It comes with a private chef and butler.
It also has a 223-square-meter terrace with a harmoniously landscaped garden, a 14-meter pool, and breathtaking views. Undoubtedly, it is the ideal place to capitalize on it with weddings, corporate events, or vacation rentals, which is what the Société des Bains de Mer has been doing for years. This way, Prince Albert II's coffers continue to fill up abundantly.
For an idea of the prices, this past summer the most fortunate paid almost 270,000 euros per month; however, it can also be rented by days. In the low season, each night costs around 15,000 euros, and in high season, around 45,000. The minimum stay is one week. For weddings and events of different kinds, there are other prices that vary according to each client's needs, so there is no set price.
Among the well-known names that have rented it are Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc, who married Alexandra Saint Mleux last February, and Charlotte Casiraghi and Dimitri Rassam, who celebrated their wedding banquet in June 2019.