Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie in Mougins, Picasso’s last home, put up for auction.
At first owned by the Guinness family, then vacation home for Winston Churchill, its Provencal charm seduces Picasso. He settles there in 1961, leaving his villa in Cannes Californie, which view has been ruined by a recent building. After the painter’s death in 1973, the house accommodates his wife, and then her daughter, who finally sells it for more than 10 million Euros.
The Dutch current owner buys the property in 2007 and names it the Minotaur’s Lair, as a tribute to the artist’s obsession. He undertakes renovation works for about 10 million Euros, resulting into a deep transformation of this Provencal property; tennis court, lift, spa… Financial issues prevent him from finishing the restoration project and compel him to put up the mas for auction.
Upon a land of more than 3 hectares is set this Provencal country-house, entirely renovated and modernised, in particular through the large bay-windows offering a splendid view over the Mediterranean sea and the Esterel hills. Of a living surface of more than 2,000 m2, this property, with its dozen bedrooms, is composed of many outbuildings. The memory of the great Picasso remains alive; in its workshop, the paint-stained furniture immerses us in the painter’s universe, and at the corner of a pillar, a stone-carved mask reminds us of the amazing genius of the artist.
Today, mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie, loaded with history, has been bought by Rayo Whitanage. This New Zealand businessman of Sri Lankan origin, already engaged in discussions for a year, and whose precedent acquisition attempt failed, just succeeded in purchasing the prestigious property for 20.196 million Euros. This purchaser, residing in New York, and at the head of a real estate investment company founded with a Brunei prince, still has one year left to raise the funds. The Dutch owner, who has invested more than 20 million Euros in the acquisition and renovation, is disappointed by the sale. In fact, Picasso’s fame, the luxury amenities and generous volumes of the house, the enchanting environment of the French Riviera… are all unique characteristics for a property which would in fact be worth at least 30 million Euros…
Magrey & Sons proposes a large selection of exclusive properties in Mougins, to enjoy the quietness and beauty of the place, an inspiration and a haven for many artists.
