Château Robert. Its mere mention provokes fleeting smiles which almost immediately turn into grimaces. Hopes still born, shattered on “too complex a file”. Too expensive too. According to estimates from Vallauris town hall, no less than twenty million euros would be needed to restore this magnificent building, the current appearance of which dates from 1875. A sum beyond the reach of the municipal budget. Which does not mean that no future is envisaged. At the bedside of the sleeping beauty, in ruins for decades, projects come together, one after the other. And doze off. Waiting to be awakened by generous patrons.
Prevent the destruction of the hill
From the lush jungle covering the coast of Golfe-Juan, an exuberant facade emerges. A dream of the Orient with rich decrepit decorations, striped with cracked friezes, surrounded by watchtowers and half-collapsed machicolations. Abandoned wonders which have never been classified as historical monuments.
Left fallow by the Caters family, main owner of the XXe century, the estate returned, in the early 1990s, to those close to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. They did nothing, sold the ruins and part of the park to the town of Vallauris in 2008. A sale which had fueled suspicions of corruption towards the former mayor, Alain Gumiel (2002-2014). Case finally closed without further action in 2015 (read opposite).
Which will free the file which Michelle Salucki seizes. During his mandate (2014-2020), the councilor hopes to transform the castle into a thalassotherapy center. The setting lends itself perfectly but not the terrain. Too cramped in the 600m building2the center demands building rights. “Which would have disfigured the hill with significant deforestation. The story ended there”relate Michelle Salucki.
Despite repeated attacks from promoters, she doesn't give up. But the arson of July 2017 preventing any classification by Bâtiments de France, gives one more argument to those who would prefer to raze everything and rebuild. “THE The danger weighing on the ground was too great. I made the choice of environmental preservation”, defend the former mayor. In 2018, the seven hectares of the park, apart from the castle, were sold for 300,000 euros, the price set by the State, to the Conservatoire du Littoral.
Security issues
Which makes Kevin Luciano jump. The current mayor tackles his predecessor: “The land has been sold off. With the little surface area that we have left, it is impossible to turn it into a hotel, for example. And then, if companies or foundations are ready to finance the restoration, they are necessarily waiting for returns on investment. We want this place to be returned to the citizens.”
A wish which was partially granted on September 12 with the inauguration by the Department of the extension of the Paradou natural park.
However, what about the safety of the site suitable for walking? Will private property signs keep away amateur adventurers? Will the holes in the fence be enough to deter them? In the municipal budget, 100,000 euros are allocated to the estate. “We will secure the site”comments the mayor. By the end of the year? “No timetable has been set yet.”
Make it the showcase of the City
And no long-term project has been defined. However, there is no shortage of lovers of old stones. Thus, dozens of files have already been presented by as many idealists. Who lacked more means than good will. Florian Coz de Ploesquellec hopes to combine the two. The fervent defender of heritage, who had already fought, victoriously, for the preservation of the Sansovino castle in Cannes, counts on a promising list of patrons. “I obtained commitments for 18 million euros,” enthuses the man who “fell in love” with the beautiful residence when he lived on the Coast.
In 2021, he presented a file to the town hall: “An architect friend carried out an initial assessment. The facade can be preserved, the foundations are solid. We urgently need to protect the ruins from water before listing the stones and renovating them.” The objective would be to transform the castle “into a place of reception, exhibition, a museum. A showcase for the City”pleads the forty-year-old.
Two years later, he is still waiting for the green light from the town hall. Who, for their part, wants more financial guarantees. “If the financing plan holds up, we will be able to plan ahead,” Kevin Luciano tempered at the start of the year. An outstretched hand that Florian Coz de Ploesquellec hastens to grasp again: “I’m going to get the patrons back on track. As long as Château Robert is standing, there’s still hope.”
A hotel rather than a residence
The most common story about Château Robert is riddled with inaccuracies. Thanks to the work of Nathalie Aguado, author of the book on The secrets of the villas of Cap d'Antibes (Akinome editions, 44 euros), the notarial archives have revealed some previously forgotten stories.
Built well before 1867
Contrary to what is often written, the castle was not built in 1867. When Frederic-Louis Gazan (mayor of Antibes elected then dismissed in 1878) inherited agricultural land in 1854 on the heights of Golfe-Juan , a “castle with two floors on the ground floor” has already been built there. Who is the original sponsor? The mystery remains.
In the name of the father
It was not until 1875 that André-Ferdinand Dervieu (mayor of Vallauris between 1888 and 1891) gave the building its unique charm, adding Moorish-inspired ornaments. Countless exotic species are also planted. Enough to disorientate customers. Because in 1876, the owner opened “an Orient hotel”, as tourist guides nicknamed it at the time. The site is also named Château Robert, a tribute to Robert Dervieu, father of André-Ferdinand.
A hotel on the Riviera
A name and a hotel function that will last for decades. The site was bought in 1900 by Aimé Ernest Dubosc, already owner of the Grand Hôtel de Cannes. His death led his heirs to resell the estate to industrialists Emil Jellinek, founder of Mercedes, and Charles Lehmann. The latter sold his share the following year to the Belgian baron, Pierre de Caters. When the German Jellinek sold in 1914, the aristocratic family became the sole owner. Ten years later, the hotel adventure comes to an end, the castle being transformed into a floral and real estate operating company.
Because the notarial archives are no longer accessible after 1953, the rest of the story remains unclear. Château Robert was purchased by the family of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, certainly after 1979, the date of acquisition of Château de l'Horizon, located in the same area.
Abandoned, the building was nothing more than ruins when it was bought in 2008 by the town of Vallauris Golfe-Juan. Which will in turn cede, in 2018, a large part of the park to the Conservatoire du Littoral.
