The Château de la Napoule is an ancient medieval fortress restored by an American artist couple, Henry and Marie Clews, during the Roaring Twenties. The gardens, classified as “remarkable”, house works by visual artists.
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Free for children under 7 years old
Free treasure hunt in the castle gardens
A bit of history
Built right by the sea in 1387 by the Counts of Villeneuve, the old military fort of La Napoule bears witness to an eventful history: invasions, pillaging, wars and other revolutions. Half ruin, half bourgeois villa, it was bought in 1917 by Henry Clews, an American billionaire, painter and sculptor.
A Fantastic World
Together with his wife Marie, they rebuilt the building from authentic remains. They transformed it with its gardens into a place of dreams and imagination. The maxim engraved on the pediment of the gate, “once upon a time”, announces the entrance into a fantastic world. Forever inscribed on the walls, the art, humour and fantasy of its creators. Henry devoted himself to the architecture of the castle and to his artistic works that can be discovered in the castle museum. His wife was the architect of the gardens of the castle, which she designed with a talent that is still recognized today.
