La Fleur du Cap: The Riviera Villa That Became David Niven’s Home

For anyone that has walked on the seaside trail from Beaulieu-sur-Mer along the rocky edge of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, where the Mediterranean laps directly against stone terraces and the light seems permanently cinematic, stands a villa that quietly encapsulates more than a century of Riviera history. Today known as La Fleur du Cap, the residence is best remembered as the long-time home of British actor David Niven, whose charm and wit were as much a part of the Côte d’Azur’s postwar glamour as the sea itself.

From Olive Groves to Belle Époque Retreat

The villa’s story begins in 1880, when Alfred Bounin, a Nice olive-oil merchant, purchased a small rocky promontory on the Cap-Ferrat shoreline. He built a modest waterfront house he named Lo Scoglietto—Italian for “the little rock.” Unlike the grand hillside villas of the era, this home embraced the sea directly, complete with a private landing point and bathing cabin connected by a narrow footbridge.

Over time, the house was gradually expanded, evolving from a simple seaside retreat into a refined Belle Époque villa that mirrored the rising prestige of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat itself.

A Magnet for High Society and Royalty

By the early 20th century, Lo Scoglietto had become a coveted address among Europe’s elite. In the 1920s, it was rented by Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough, one of the most famous—and famously reluctant—American heiresses to marry into British aristocracy.

Its reputation only grew. In the 1950s, the villa served as a temporary residence for King Leopold III of Belgium shortly before his abdication, reinforcing its status as a discreet haven for royalty seeking privacy on the Riviera.

Hollywood Arrives on the Cap

The villa’s cinematic chapter began in earnest in 1956, when Charlie Chaplin spent a summer there with his family. Photographs from the period show the silent-film legend enjoying the rocky shoreline and relaxed pace of Cap-Ferrat life—a striking contrast to the global fame he carried with him.

David Niven’s Riviera Years

The most defining era of the villa began in the early 1960s, when David Niven acquired the property. By then, Niven was one of Britain’s most beloved screen actors, known for his impeccable manners, dry humor, and an Academy Award–winning performance in Separate Tables.

Niven would live at the villa for over two decades, making it his primary European home. Far from retreating from society, he became an integral part of local life—walking into the village, playing pétanque, frequenting cafés, and entertaining friends that included actors, aristocrats, and figures from nearby Monaco.

The villa also made a rare on-screen appearance in 1983, when scenes from Trail of the Pink Panther were filmed there. The film became one of Niven’s final screen roles, permanently linking the house to his cinematic legacy.

A Lasting Tribute

Following Niven’s death in 1983, the village of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat honored him by naming the small square in front of the villa Place David Niven—a rare tribute that reflects how deeply he was appreciated not just as a star, but as a neighbor.

In later years, the property was carefully restored and expanded while remaining a private residence. Though its footprint has grown, the villa has retained its defining relationship with the sea—still appearing to rise directly from the Mediterranean.

In subsequent years, the villa was restored and expanded. In the late 20th century it was acquired by Ana Tzarev and Robert Chandler and lovingly maintained as a private residence.

Today, La Fleur du Cap stands as a discreet landmark of Riviera history: a house shaped by merchants, royalty, silent-film legends, and one of Britain’s most effortlessly elegant actors.