Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat: tickets, hours and access

Updated on 24 September 2026

Between Nice and Monaco, on the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat isthmus, the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is one of the most visited sights on the French Riviera — and one of the easiest to reach without a car. Here is what to know before you go: 2026 opening hours, prices, tickets, access and how long to allow.

The villa and its nine gardens

Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, heiress to the Rothschild family, built her villa between 1905 and 1912 on a rocky promontory that first had to be blasted level. The overall plans were drawn by Marcel Auburtin; construction was run by the Nice architect Aaron Messiah. When she died in 1934 the baroness left the house and her collections to the Académie des Beaux-Arts (Institut de France), and the museum opened to the public in 1938. The villa and gardens have been listed as historic monuments since 1996.

Around the pink palace sit nine themed gardens: French, Spanish, Florentine, Sèvres, stonework, Japanese, exotic, Provençal and the rose garden. They step down in terraces on both sides of the ridge, with the water parterre and rose garden facing the sea. The Nice Côte d'Azur tourist office gives an average visit time of 120 minutes; with photos and a stop at the tea room, allow two hours.

Opening hours 2026

The villa is open every day of the year. According to the official site:

• 2 February to 1 November 2026: 10 am to 6 pm, until 7 pm in July and August;
• November to the end of January: 10 am to 4.30 pm on weekdays, 10 am to 6 pm at weekends and during school holidays (check the official site for the 2026-27 calendar);
• Last admission 30 minutes before closing; no time slot is required and the time printed on your ticket is indicative.

The restaurant and tea room are open daily from 11 am to 5.30 pm, lunch served from noon to 3 pm. Exceptional closures and full details: access conditions on the official site.

Tickets and prices 2026

• Full price: €18 — villa and gardens, audio guide included (English, French and eight other languages);
• Reduced: €12 — children aged 7 to 17, students aged 18 to 25 with a valid student card;
• Free for children under 7, job seekers, people on social benefits, Education Pass holders, journalists and holders of an 80 % disability mobility card (plus one companion);
• Combined ticket with the Villa Kérylos: €24 full, €20 reduced, valid for 8 days from purchase, sold on site only.

Tickets: the official box office is the villa's own (rates page). Online tickets are valid for one day, cannot be exchanged or refunded, give no priority access and can be shown on a smartphone at the entrance. Entry is also resold by booking platforms such as GetYourGuide or Tiqets — handy when your preferred day is sold out, but check the date, time slot and ticket type before paying. Prices are indicative: when in doubt, confirm on the official site, especially for evening events and the Fête des Roses.

Getting there from Nice

• By bus: line 15, stop “Passable – Rothschild” (service runs until 11.45 pm in July and August), or line 607, stop “Pont Saint-Jean”, then about 15 minutes on foot. The villa is 10 km from Nice and Monaco. Fares and maps: tram and bus in Nice.
• By car: the lower coastal road (RD 6098), A8 exit “Nice Centre” then signposted Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
• Parking: free on site, but only a few dozen spaces — usually full before 11 am in season. When it fills up, the commune of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat offers a valet service at a flat daily rate.
• On foot: about 2 km from Beaulieu-sur-Mer along the coast road, with a climb at the end.

The Cap Ferrat lighthouse and the views

At the southern tip of the peninsula stands the Cap Ferrat lighthouse, marking the entrance to the bay of Villefranche. The current tower was built between 1949 and 1952 after the previous one was destroyed in 1944: an octagonal stone tower 34 metres high, standing 78 metres above the sea. Automated and listed as a historic monument in 2012, it is not open to visitors — you admire it from the peninsula's paths and from the water. From the villa, the full loop of the cape is an easy walk of about 4.8 km, almost flat.

Add the Villa Kérylos

A few minutes away in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, the Villa Kérylos is a reconstruction of an ancient Greek house, built by Théodore Reinach between 1902 and 1908. It opens 10 am to 6 pm from April to September and 10 am to 5 pm from October to March, €15 full and €10 reduced, tickets sold on site only. The two sites can be combined with the €24 joint ticket, valid for 8 days — the best option if you are spending two days on the coast. Practical information: the Villa Kérylos official site.

Visiting tips

• Arrive at opening time: the car park fills early and the gardens are calmer before noon.
• Allow two hours: the villa, the terraces and the rose garden take time.
• Bring water and comfortable shoes: the gardens step down in terraces and the walk back up is steep.
• Book the restaurant if you want lunch on site — tables are scarce in season.
• Continue along the coast: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Villefranche-sur-Mer or a boat trip from Nice harbour.
• Compare before you buy: the Riviera villas are included in the French Riviera Pass — is the pass worth it for your stay?

Frequently asked questions