Adorable Story #123: Villa La Leopolda
The Tumultuous, Glittering Tale of Villa La Leopolda
The Tumultuous, Glittering Tale of Villa La Leopolda
If the French Riviera is the playground of the rich and famous, then Villa La Leopolda is their ultimate treehouse. Perched above Villefranche-sur-Mer, looking out to the azure waters of the Mediterranean, this villa has been a witness to the eccentricities and ambitions of Europe’s elite for more than a century.
Table of Contents: It All Started With a King / Who Was Caroline Delacroix? / The First Major Construction / The Villa’s Fame Grows / From Royals to Billionaires / Edmond Safra / The Notorious Sale That Wasn’t / Pop Culture and Silver Screen / Today: Privacy Behind the Gates
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It All Started With a King
The story begins in 1902. King Leopold II of Belgium — a monarch with a taste for extravagance and controversy — acquired several acres of land on the hills of Villefranche-sur-Mer (10 miles west of Monaco).
King Leopold bought the land for his mistress, Blanche Zélia Joséphine Delacroix, who was also known as Caroline Lacroix.
Who Was Caroline Delacroix?
Blanche Zélia Joséphine Delacroix (better known to history as Caroline Lacroix) was born on May 13th, 1883, in Bucharest, Romania.
She came from a modest background: her father, Jules Delacroix, was French, and her mother, Josephine Diodatti, was of Italian descent. Her family was of simple means, and her early life was marked by limited opportunities.
Early Life
Caroline grew up in Bucharest, but details about her childhood are scarce. Sources agree that by her teenage years, she was working as a barmaid or entertainer in Paris. Her beauty and vivacious personality quickly attracted attention, and she soon found herself in the company of wealthy and influential men.
