Norman Foster's former villa La Voile in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat goes on sale

Villa La Voile began life in the 1950s, but the house you see now is largely the work of its former owner, Norman Foster, who extended and redesigned it between 1998 and 2002. He turned the building around to make the most of its steep waterfront plot in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, between Nice and Monaco. The name means 'the sail', after the retractable canopy that gives the place its seafaring feel.

Inside, the 480-square-metre house steps down the hillside across seven levels. A four-level atrium and double-height rooms pull light deep inside, suspended walkways link the floors, and floor-to-ceiling glass frames the coast. Steel arches and glazed facades set the tone, softened by stone walls. The two-storey library is the quieter heart of an otherwise open plan, and a MudWork fresco by British land artist Richard Long covers a rear wall. There are terraces at several levels, a rooftop pool, five bedrooms, a separate apartment and garaging.

It's a private home, listed through Savills at €29.5 million according to designboom, so there's nothing to visit. Still, it's a rare look at how Foster's interest in structure and light plays out at home, and worth a read for anyone who follows his work.

Our summary of a story from designboom, published 14 October 2026. Read the original

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