History of La Pausa, the revitalized vacation residence of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel on the French Mediterranean coast
Nestled in the picturesque town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, the villa La Pausa, once the retreat of fashion icon Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, has undergone a meticulous renovation, restoring its original spirit and design.
Designed by a young architect, Robert Streitz, in a swaying olive grove, La Pausa's architecture echoes Chanel's style, being luxurious without ostentation. The villa is essentially a square around a cloister with simple stone arches, decorated in a sparingly Baroque style with carved Spanish furniture and Persian carpets.
Chanel, known for her minimalist yet elegant taste, preferred inviting artists rather than decorating with art. This philosophy was carried forward in the restoration, with La Pausa now serving as a residence for artists, writers, and creators.
The renovation was led by architect Peter Marino, who poured over hundreds of fading photographs to understand Chanel's decorating spirit. Two candelabra cacti were personally nurtured by Marino to reach the same height as the originals.
Chanel, who once said, "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different," was one of the first to cultivate lavender and other rustic plants at La Pausa. The villa was a space for relaxation, visited by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Colette, and Igor Stravinsky, as well as Christian Dior. Guests played roulette at the Monte Carlo casino or danced at La Pausa.
During the Spanish Civil War, Salvador Dali stayed at La Pausa and worked on eleven paintings there. The villa has silver-leaved branches intertwining in its olive grove today, and a gold star has been added to Chanel's gilded wrought iron headboard, a timeless motif of good fortune, which often appeared in her jewellery.
The restoration of La Pausa included a complete update of the house's plumbing, ventilation, and electrical systems. Notably, the villa was converted to renewable electricity. One tree at the entrance of La Pausa had to be built around, but Chanel, who valued the villa's 250 trees, did not uproot any.
Misia Sert played the piano at La Pausa, contributing to the villa's rich cultural history. Post-restoration, the villa serves as a residence for artists, writers, and creators, reviving Chanel’s tradition of creative retreat and dialogue, blending its architectural preservation with an ongoing cultural mission.
The team behind Chanel Heritage Sites bought back many pieces of La Pausa's furniture at auction in Paris, ensuring the villa's authenticity. The staircase at La Pausa was inspired by a grand stone staircase at the Aubazine Abbey, where Chanel had spent years as a child.
In recent times, a cultural exchange event at La Pausa was a series of podcasts called 'Chanel Connects', which were recorded in the home. The villa continues to embody Chanel's original values of simplicity, elegance, and freedom, accommodating contemporary artistic exploration within the historic space.
References: [1] Chanel. (2021). La Pausa. Retrieved from https://www.chanel.com/en_US/heritage/places/la-pausa [2] The Telegraph. (2019). Chanel's villa La Pausa reopens as a retreat for artists. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/fashionnews/10133646/Chanels-villa-La-Pausa-reopens-as-a-retreat-for-artists.html
- The renovation of La Pausa, the villa once owned by fashion icon Coco Chanel, now includes a blend of modern updates like renewable electricity, while preserving its original architecture and design, reflecting Chanel's lifestyle essence of minimalist elegance.
- La Pausa, the historic villa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, serves as a residence for current-day artists, writers, and creators, just as it did in the past when it hosted celebrities such as Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau, continuing its role as a beacon in the realms of fashion-and-beauty and entertainment.
