Visiting le Palais Bulles felt a bit like meeting a superstar who turns out to be super easy to approach, but hiding his best side from you.
My husband has been in love with bubble houses for ages, and this huge house designed & built by architect Antti Lovag is one of the superstars in its genre. Le Palais Bulles was built in the late 70s and early 80s and is now owned by fashion designer Pierre Cardin. Located at only 10 minutes from our temporary home, we drove up the hill and saw for ourselves. Unfortunately the house is closed to the public, except during a few summer concerts and corporate events, but what we saw from the outside (as seen above) was good, really good.
What struck me most:
► the color: the same pinkish earthy red as the nearby Estérel mountains ♥
► the accessibility: it's "just" another villa in a residential area
► the vastness of the entire house: it's so much bigger than I imagined (1200m²!)
► the pebble cactus plants near the fence: their simple shapes really compliment the palace
► the panoramic view over the bay of Cannes
According to Antti Lovag, it's the inside that counts, so now I'm on the lookout for tickets to any of the concerts next summer to truly experience Palais Bulles. I wonder if I could live in a home without any straight walls as it's the complete opposite of our home. Until then, there is this video of Pierre Cardin showing us around his house, filled with contemporary design pieces:
I love this house too, it's so ahead of its time … an icon from the Riviera landscape !
Absolutely! Have you ever been inside, Argone?
No I didn't, and wasn't even as close as you were ! just admiring it from the Corniche when we were on vacation on the french Riviera … but I know Pierre Cardin by name of course.
it is funny and, I agree, it is iconic, but I couldn't live there … I would feel like a “Barbapapa” ;-) xxi.
Hahaha like a Barbapapa, that's not so bad ;)
fascinating. I can appreciate buildings like that for their eccentricity and beauty and venturesomeness even though I'd prefer something more minimal and simple myself. I'd love to see this one day. have you been to Lanzarote, to César Manrique's house. not quite a bubble house, it is build into lava bubbles of an old volcano. it's stunning!!!
Ohhh that sounds so intriguing! No I've never been to Lanzarote, I have to look it up. Thanks Petra!
I have never heard of these before but they look VERY intriguing! thanks for sharing x
You're very welcome, Trisha!
I love it, reminds me of barbapapa's house – also lots of round bubble shapes:):))
Ax
Oh yeah, very Barbapapa-like! Very quirky and different but also quite natural I think… xx
This is something new. I would so love to explore inside. Very quirky cool. x
Me too, I can't wait to visit the inside! xx
Oh this looks like from Star Trek. I love round houses. I think because they are so rare we love them.
Wauw, indrukwekkend!