A Philosophers Fantasy

FPDSavills has been instructed to sell Le Domaine Les Barons, an artist's dream estate on the French Riviera and home to award winning author Martin Gray. This 25-acre estate, in the heart of the Côte d'Azur, is not only a luxurious private residence but is also ideal for entertaining business associates with the fundaments of a film and music studio.

Eminent architects Jacques Couelle, Antti Lovag and Thierry Valfort, who began as minimalists but became more elaborate over the years, were commissioned by Martin Gray to create "a work of Art". The result is a stunningly light and spacious reconverted house with a contemporary extension and kaleidoscopic views over Cannes, the Mediterranean and the Alps. Unobtrusive but dominant colours are an important part of the design - an architectural universe exuding light and freedom, to function well whether you are home alone or entertaining. The house with its huge extensions and its garden is also designed to display Mr Gray's art collection as a "living museum".

Dating back to the 17th Century, it has become a crossroad for artists and creators of all backgrounds. Musicians such as Arthur Rubinstein and Isaac Stern have crossed paths with artists such as Picasso and Chagall, writers such as Graham Greene, Joseph Kessel and Anthony Burgess have shared their dreams and ideals here, whilst actors Yves Montand, Brigitte Fossey, Michaël York and Robert Enrico have returned to "Les Barons" to find once again the atmosphere that Martin Gray created in an environment dedicated to art.

The main house comprises three reception rooms, four bedrooms, dining room, a library and a games room - none of which have doors, giving a feeling of freedom in a maze of halls and corridors with no barriers to spoil the harmony of the property. The interior decoration enhances this sensation, along with the large rectangular windows throughout throwing light around the house. These windows give more than a simple view, they are panoramic postcards of colour, offering a spectacle of life, images projected on a big screen, views as far as the eye can see.

Monumental marble fountains and a large granite swimming pool complement the property along with the avant-garde pool-house and exhibition galleries displaying wonderfully unusual works of art. The landscaped park with over 70 important sculptures, offers an outdoor stereophonic installation and multi-functional lighting, used to enhance the pool, two amphitheatres, four guest houses and two caretaker lodgings that lend themselves to various promotional and commercial purposes in addition to personal usage.

The guide price for Le Domaine Les Barons is £2.7million.

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