OUR STORY
SINCE 1990
timeless elegance on the Côte d’Azur
SINCE 1990
Villa Monaco's story begins in 1990, when a historic olive plantation in Cap d’Ail, with 200-year-old olive tress, was transformed into one of the French Riviera's most distinctive private estates.
The 4,000-square-metre property was shaped by owner Jessica Stockmann, a German actress and collector, together with her daughter Nisha Stockmann, an interior designer. Over three decades, the two have assembled a collection of vintage furniture, original design icons and modern and contemporary art, each piece chosen with intention and each carrying its own history.
Today, Villa Monaco is a living environment rather than a curated display — where heritage and modernity coexist naturally, three minutes from Monte-Carlo. A private luxury estate on the French Riviera that has become the address of choice for celebrities, artists and connoisseurs seeking something the Côte d'Azur rarely offers: complete privacy, exceptional design, and a sense of place that cannot be staged.
NOT JUST A STAY. A LEGACY.
Our passion for vintage design is as old as Villa Monaco itself. Since 1990, we’ve been hunting for rare pieces, restoring them with love, and placing them in a setting that feels like a living museum.
Every chair, every lamp, every detail tells a story – and together, they create an atmosphere that’s as unique as it is unforgettable.
Because true luxury is timeless.
WHERE DESIGN IS NOT STAGED, BUT LIVED
Museums invite us to admire great design. Villa Monaco invites you to live with it. Whether enjoying breakfast beneath elegant French lighting, relaxing on an iconic Togo sofa, dining on original Riviera silverware, or discovering the architectural masterpieces of the Côte d'Azur that are minutes away, every stay becomes an immersive journey through European design history.
Throughout the villa, guests encounter original works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Herbert Brandl, Imi Knoebel, Rebecca Horn, Niclas Castello and Jos Tappe, displayed not as a curated exhibition but as part of daily life at the estate. The same sensibility runs through the furniture: Josef Hoffmann's Kubus sofa, Michel Ducaroy's Togo seating for Ligne Roset, original 1920s Art Déco pieces, a nineteenth-century Venetian Murano mirror, and Rolf Krüger's A248 lighting system, winner of the 1968 iF Design Award, sit alongside a 1918 New York barber chair and other rare finds.
VILLA MONACO FEATURED IN AD MAGAZINE & ART BASEL
Villa Monaco's distinctive approach to Riviera living has increasingly been recognised by international publications across art, design, architecture and luxury travel.
Art Basel featured Villa Monaco in its 2026 Art Lover's Guide to the French Riviera, placing the estate within a journey through the Côte d'Azur's celebrated museums, foundations and artistic landmarks. Villa Monaco was included as a place for art lovers exploring the French Riviera coast.
AD Magazine France also selected Villa Monaco for its feature “Ces villas d'exception sont à louer pour un week-end de novembre,” describing the estate as “une adresse rare pour s'évader avant l'hiver” and highlighting its Mediterranean setting, panoramic views and privileged location beside Monaco.
Most recently, Clientele Luxury Global dedicated a four-page feature, “A Fire of Olive Wood,” to Villa Monaco in its Fall 2026 Destination Issue. The story explores the estate beyond the summer season, from its art and historic design to Mediterranean dining, privacy and autumn evenings overlooking the Côte d'Azur.
Together, these features reflect what has defined Villa Monaco since 1990: a private home where art, design, Riviera heritage and hospitality are lived rather than staged.
These recognitions are a natural extension of what Villa Monaco already is: a lived-in art and design environment rather than a conventional luxury rental. For travellers who appreciate exceptional interiors, architecture and culture, the villa is a carefully curated home where art, design and the Mediterranean lifestyle come together to create an unforgettable experience on the French Riviera and, in a rare configuration for this coast, an actual base from which to explore the region as the artists and architects who shaped it once did.
Villa Monaco: A historic olive plantation turned luxury retreat since 1990. Discover vintage design, original interiors, and discreet elegance on the Côte d’Azur. Your exclusive private estate in Cap d’Ail.
Experience a legacy of elegance
Book your stay at Villa Monaco – where every moment is part of a story that began in 1990. The French Riviera's most exclusive luxury villa rental for families, corporate stays and events only 3 minutes from Monaco.