The Villa and Gardens Ephrussi de Rothschild at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat hosts the 15th edition of its Fête des roses et des plantes on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May, with a programme spanning plant sales, workshops, live performances and guided tours across the seven-hectare estate.
The rose takes centre stage, as it has since Béatrice de Rothschild — daughter of Baron Alphonse de Rothschild and an ardent horticulturalist — cultivated the flower across the property she built between 1907 and 1912. Nine of the estate’s gardens carry the Ministry of Culture’s “jardin remarquable” classification.
“Béatrice de Rothschild designed one of the most beautiful gardens in the world around her dream villa,” said Muriel Mayette-Holtz, director of the Villa and Gardens Ephrussi de Rothschild. “The rose occupies a central place here — queen of flowers and symbol of love.”
Plants, workshops and performances
The French garden will host an expo-vente bringing together horticulturalists, rose growers and nursery specialists. Children can take part in workshops to decorate flower pots, create a plant fresco or study garden insects, while adults are offered osier weaving, floral composition and an olfactory workshop.
The programme also includes artistic performances across the grounds. The voice and accordion duo Deux Elles will perform in the patio, while dancer Julia Zolynski will present a poetic choreography beside the fountain. In the Florentine garden, actors Elise Clary, Laurent Prévost and Hervé Van Der Meulen will revisit classic texts including Les Malheurs de Sophie and Les Contes du chat perché.
Thematic guided tours — covering subjects including the Rothschild table, the Baroness’s gardens and the villa’s art collection — will be led by the gardening team and the collections department throughout the weekend.
Admission
Entry is €20 for adults and €12 for students and young people aged seven to 18. The ticket includes access to the villa and its full art collection. The full programme is available at villa-ephrussi.com.
Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: Sandra Malbequi / Facebook