A house by the sea.
Olive trees, stone, and birdsong.
A house by the sea.
Olive trees, stone, and birdsong.
Perched above the luminous bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Villa La Treille Muscate — named for the muscat vine that climbs its sun-warmed walls — is a private home rooted in the slow rhythms of the French Riviera. Cicadas, salt air, and the distant hum of the sea have marked time here for generations.
Emma and I were lucky to buy this property a couple years ago, when we needed more space to let our two children grow up. The house has been around almost 100 years! Soon, we are promised, our neighbour who was born in this house, will give us pictures from 'back when', we hope to discover more of its past.
The garden is a particular source of delight: a layered tapestry of Mediterranean plants that draws an extraordinary variety of birds throughout the year.
The garden is alive with wing and whistle. From the melodic blackcap hidden in the laurustinus to the flash of a hoopoe crossing the terrace — our garden has become an unexpected refuge for an astonishing variety of species. We keep a running record. A locally run AI listens to a microphone in the garden 24/7 and matches the birds' songs to a humongous database.
Explore the bird listVillefranche sits on one of the most beautiful bays of the Mediterranean, sheltered between Nice and Monaco, its harbour deep enough to host great sailing ships and, in summer, the occasional cruise liner dwarfing the pastel façades of the old town.
The village has been loved by painters, writers, and wanderers for centuries. It is easy to understand why.