The Onassis fortune, a colossal (and global) empire
In August 1978, when Christina Onassis, sole heiress of the Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis, married her third marriage to a Soviet husband, the world wondered: what about her fortune, three years after the death of her father? Although the nuptial contract is concrete, business circles are wondering about the future of the family capital. It must be said that the shipowner had woven a spider’s web across the world, a veritable financial and industrial empire summarized by TF1’s 8 p.m., then archived by the INA.
Christina Onassis poses next to a period chest of drawers in the elegant apartment on Avenue Foch. His father, Aristotle, lives one floor above.© Michel Dufour / Getty Images
Not content with owning a large fleet (around fifty boats), the billionaire has always diversified his investments. His fortune is spread among 217 banks around the world and he has a majority stake in 87 companies. Onassis rules over the shipyard, natural gas, chemicals and construction in the United States, over children’s food products in Brazil and, finally, over shipping companies and factories in Uruguay. Between mines and chemical factories, its investments extend to Japan, Iran, Indonesia and Canada. His personal possessions are not left out, since the family collects works of art scattered throughout private hotels and luxurious apartments between New York, Paris and Milan.
The Onassis family settled at 88, avenue Foch
According to Challenges magazine, 88, avenue Foch was built on the initiative of the industrialist Louis Renault. Made up of around ten apartments for 68 service rooms, the building houses two apartments from the Onassis family. Aristotle Onassis lives one floor above his daughter — information confirmed by Marina Dodero, one of Christina’s closest friends. They also lived together for a while on Avenue Foch, and Marina confided to Paris Match: “In Paris, I live with Christina, 88, avenue Foch; his father lives one floor above. » This enclave bordered by impeccable lawns (32 meters each), connects Porte Dauphine to Place de l’Etoile along 1,300 meters of asphalt. The widest artery in France attracts world fortunes, Grace Kelly included. The archives of Paris Match magazine bring to mind some memories of a classic interior, still in its original state. Olivier Royant, who met her at her home on avenue Foch, said: “Our interview was over, we chatted quietly in his somewhat outdated luxury living room on Avenue Foch where nothing had been changed since the death of Aristotle Onassis, despite the tumultuous passage of Jackie Onassis. Heavy, barely threadbare royal blue velvet curtains, sofas with armrests in the same tone, splendid Louis-XVI marquetry secretaries and tables and, according to family custom, a voluminous bouquet of orchids. » Indeed, a few vintage photos reveal a classic style apartment where bouquets of flowers play a starring role. With a surface area of 450 square meters, Aristotle’s apartment was sold to a Russian fortune in 2006. It is easy to imagine that his daughter’s apartment, one floor lower, has the same number of square meters. Besides these interiors, Aristotle Onassis is the owner of the island Skorpios in Greece — strangely, he has very little invested in his own country, where he goes aboard the Christina. A yacht with decorative accents that he named in the name of his daughter.
The homes of heiress Athina Onassis
An outstanding rider and renowned equestrian champion, Athina Onassis initially grew up in Gingins, near Geneva. Named Boislande, the vast house of his childhood is built of stone and has large bay windows opening onto a lush garden. It is in this house with a swimming pool that the young woman lives with her parents Christina Onassis and Thierry Roussel, before heading to Lussy-sur-Morges, within the walls of a second family home. The young heiress leaves to study in Brussels where she decides to settle while alternating back and forth with São Paulo, Brazil. If we know that the Onassis family also owns a villa on the island of Ibiza, this is not the only property to serve as a base for the young woman. In 2008, her father gave her a $90 million apartment in New York, while she inherited the famous Skorpios. The famous island was acquired by Aristotle Onassis in 1962 for the equivalent of 11,000 euros. It was then a tiny, completely desert islet that the shipowner made habitable by transporting several tons of sand. He also plants a large number of trees. In 2013, Athina Onassis separated from it and sold it to the daughter of a Russian billionaire. In 2018, Christina Onassis’ daughter put her villa near Antwerp up for sale for 1.75 million euros – she had bought it in 2010 for more than 2 million euros. Consisting of five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a pool housethe property turns out to be particularly luxurious.
Christina Onassis, daughter of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, is seen with her daughter Athina at the Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris, France.© Photo de Michel Dufour/WireImage via Getty Images
Christina Onassis, daughter of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, takes a ride on a merry-go-round with her daughter Athina, at the Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris, France.© Photo de Michel Dufour/WireImage via Getty Images
