Domaine des Colombières

Domaine des Colombières stands above Menton’s Bay of Garavan, where sea views meet a Mediterranean garden shaped by Ferdinand Bac. The villa and gardens form a connected artwork, completed in 1927 with classical antiquity guiding its architecture and planting.

Ferdinand Bac developed the property over seven years for Émile and Caroline Octavie Ladan Bockairy, his friends. The gardens now cover about three and a half hectares, arranged as linked rooms along paths. Traditional jars, Greek mythological sculptures, and botanical specimens from several continents fill those spaces. Century-old olive trees, pines, cypresses, and a supposedly thousand-year-old carob tree anchor the collection.

The villa remains private, while guided visits open the gardens and patio to small groups. Steep, uneven paths lead through the landscape, which is unsuitable for wheelchairs and visitors with walking difficulties. A bunya-bunya from Australia can reach fifty metres in its native habitat, adding a striking final detail.