Skip to content
La Carriere, a French Riviera estate that belonged to Princess Margaret of Denmark will be auctioned on May 16. Its list price, prior to auction, was $12 million. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Royal couple’s stunning French Riviera estate to be auctioned May 16

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
La Carriere, a French Riviera estate that belonged to Princess Margaret of Denmark will be auctioned on May 16. Its list price, prior to auction, was $12 million. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
La Carriere, a French Riviera estate that belonged to Princess Margaret of Denmark, will be auctioned on May 16. Its list price, prior to auction, was $12 million. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER, France – The Cote d’Azur estate where Princess Margaret of Denmark and her husband, Prince Rene of Bourbon-Parma, made their home has recently been listed for sale at a no-reserve auction on Tuesday, May 16. Overlooking the French Riviera, the one-of-a-kind residence is known as La Carriere. It dates back to the 1920s, and is a majestic manor house built into the stone walls of a fortress. The stunning villa melds rustic charm with modern luxury, while the walls provide the ultimate in privacy and security. The list price, prior to auction, was $12 million.

Princess Margaret of Denmark was the fifth child of Prince Valdemar of Denmark and his wife Princess Marie of Orleans. Extensively connected to European royalty, she was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth of England, as well as rulers of Russia, Greece, Hanover and Orleans. She married Prince Rene of Bourbon-Parma, with whom she would have four children. The couple resided mostly in France but were forced to flee the Nazis during World War II. Escaping through Spain to Portugal to New York, the princess pursued a living making hats while her husband worked at a gas company and her oldest daughter took a position as a shop clerk to make ends meet until the war ended and they were able to return to Paris.

The arched window motif carries through to the master bathroom, one of six in the exquisite manor house on the French Riviera. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
The arched window motif carries through to the master bathroom, one of six in the exquisite manor house on the French Riviera. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Arched windows and stone accents give the villa a unique and enduring style. Warm colors on the walls provide an inviting atmosphere. Antique high-beamed ceilings and a majestic fireplace add grandeur to the living room. Five bedrooms and six bathrooms offer plenty of room for family and guests, while a spacious kitchen and gorgeous formal dining room are perfect for entertaining. Multiple terraces offer generous views of the Riviera, the Villefranche Bay and the impressive local Cap Ferrat, plus the turrets and ramparts of the castle-like surrounding fortress. The rooftop deck includes a Jacuzzi. The landscaped grounds include lush lawns, mature trees, beautiful gardens, plus a pool surrounded by a stone grotto. The pool complex includes a detached studio.

The medieval-seeming turrets and ramparts of the fortress encompassed by Princess Margaret of Denmark’s French retreat share the grounds with a thoroughly modern rooftop deck equipped with a Jacuzzi. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
The medieval-seeming turrets and ramparts of the fortress encompassed by Princess Margaret of Denmark’s French retreat share the grounds with a thoroughly modern rooftop deck equipped with a Jacuzzi. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Cote d’Azur refers to the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea in southern France. One of the world’s first resort areas, it has long been a summer destination for Europe’s royalty, world celebrities and artists, including Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. About half of the world’s superyachts visit the region every summer. With more than 310 days of sunshine per year, the 71 miles of coastline and beaches are home to 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts and 3,000 restaurants.

The landscaped grounds of the French Riviera estate enjoyed by Princess Margaret of Denmark include lush lawns, mature trees, beautiful gardens and a pool surrounded by a stone grotto. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
The landscaped grounds of the French Riviera estate enjoyed by Princess Margaret of Denmark include lush lawns, mature trees, beautiful gardens and a pool surrounded by a stone grotto. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

La Carriere is located in the town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, nestled between Nice, France and the principality of Monaco. In addition to sunny beaches and sparkling waters, the village is known for its well-preserved historic downtown and thriving arts scene marked by numerous galleries, museums and events. Despite all the historic charm and natural beauty, Cote d’Azur international airport is only 15 minutes away. Other celebrities with nearby villas include Bill Gates, Elton John and Bono.

Princess Margaret of Denmark died in 1992.

The auction will be held by Concierge Auctions, which maintains the website www.conciergeauctions.com. Photos courtesy Concierge Auctions and TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

For more celebrity home news and celebrity home video tours, visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

French Riviera