Remarkable account of La Pausa, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's refurbished vacation sanctuary on the French Riviera
Chanel's Villa La Pausa Undergoes Meticulous Restoration
After acquiring the property in 2015, the house of Chanel embarked on a decade-long restoration project for La Pausa, Coco Chanel's villa on the Côte d'Azur. Architect Peter Marino led the restoration, meticulously studying hundreds of old photographs to preserve Chanel's original decorating spirit.
La Pausa, designed by architect Robert Streitz under Chanel's direction in the late 1920s, features a square layout around a cloister with simple stone arches, Spanish carved furniture, and Persian carpets. The restoration preserved these defining characteristics, maintaining the villa's monastic, modern atmosphere rooted in light and graceful lines.
The villa's architecture echoes Chanel's style, being luxurious without ostentation. The staircase at La Pausa, for instance, was inspired by a grand stone staircase at the Aubazine Abbey. Chanel's gilded wrought iron headboard and other furniture pieces were bought back at auction in Paris.
The restoration prioritized the history and essence of La Pausa, maintaining its elegant, simple Mediterranean style—reflecting Chanel’s values of luxury without ostentation, simplicity, and elegance, much like her fashion. None of the 250 trees were uprooted during the restoration, and the villa was meticulously restored to honor its environment by converting to renewable electricity.
La Pausa was a space for relaxation, visited by artists like Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Colette, and Igor Stravinsky. Salvador Dalí stayed in the little guesthouse next to the chapel during the Spanish Civil War and finished eleven paintings at La Pausa. After lunch, conversations continued on the terrace, with guests choosing their own seats and Ugo, the Italian butler, serving coffee or Champagne.
In the evening, guests sometimes played roulette at the Monte Carlo casino, but they were often more tempted by the company at La Pausa. Misia Sert would play the piano as rugs were rolled up, and guests danced along to a tune that floated out to the sea. Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel once said, "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different." This sentiment is echoed in the meticulous restoration of La Pausa, which maintains the villa’s spirit while transforming it into a residence for artists, writers, and creators.
From late 2025, La Pausa will host members of Chanel’s creative teams and cultural projects, reinforcing Chanel's commitment to preserving the intellectual and architectural heritage of its founder. The 'Chanel Arts & Culture programming' will again be held at La Pausa, with recent examples being the 'Chanel Connects' podcast series. Some guests took strolls or played tennis on the five-acre property's clay court.
The restoration of La Pausa is a careful, historically respectful process guided by a clear intent to preserve Chanel's vision, style, and the villa’s spirit, blending meticulous historical research with modern use as a cultural and creative hub.
- The restoration of La Pausa, focusing on maintaining Chanel's original decorating spirit, is reflective of Chanel's commitment to fashion and beauty, as well as home and garden lifestyle, given the villa's conversion to renewable electricity and its transformation into a cultural and creative hub.
- As La Pausa, post-restoration, will host members of Chanel’s creative teams and cultural projects, Chanel's Entertainment division will find an ideal home for the 'Chanel Arts & Culture programming', further emphasizing the connection between Chanel's lifestyle and the fashion-and-beauty industry.
