Showgirl Josephine Baker’s Ornate Mansion Outside of Paris Hits the Market for €20.84 Million

Villa Beau-Chêne, the 12-bedroom Parisian mansion where Josephine Baker made her home in the 1930s and ’40s, is on the market for €20.84 million (US$24.45 million).

Located in Le Vésinet, about 10 miles from central Paris, the nearly 9,000-square-foot mansion was built in 1890-91 by architect Louis Gilbert. Villa Beau-Chêne (Beau-Chêne translates to “beautiful oak”) stands on a 2.5-acre lot and is surrounded by mature trees, gardens and greenhouses. 

“Villa Beau-Chêne is a piece of French art de vivre,” listing broker Patricia Mehl, managing director of Côte d’Azur, Nest Seekers International, said in an email. 

A detail of the molding.

Baker, the American dancer and singer—and outspoken civil rights activist—who famously made her home in France, lived in the home from 1927 to 1947, according to the Societe D’histoire Du Vesinet. She used the estate as a place to rest and recover from performing, tending her extensive gardens during that time. 

More recently, the villa has gotten a facelift to bring it back to its former glory while updating it for modern life. 

“Every detail, from the gold-leaf moldings to the sweeping oak staircase, has been lovingly restored to honor its heritage, while modern amenities elevate the experience to meet the expectations of today’s most discerning buyers,” Mehl said. “To find such authenticity and refinement so close to central Paris is exceptionally rare.”

Guests and residents enter the villa through a purple door that leads to a hallway decked out in colorful tiles, a bright contrast to the mellow oak staircase. The home has a traditional layout, with intricate moldings, parquet floors and oversized windows throughout. Carved wooden details can also be found on the upper levels. 

Josephine Baker at her home in Le Vesinet in 1935.

Roger Viollet via Getty Images

The home and grounds.

There are four reception rooms overlooking the gardens, the listing said. The dining room offers moldings covered in gold leaf and a marble fireplace, while the breakfast area has a coffered ceiling. The adjacent kitchen has two sinks, integrated appliances and custom cabinetry. 

A living area and three bedrooms are on the second level, with several on the third floor, the listing said. An attic room offers views over the grounds. 

The finished basement level has a guest unit with a fitted kitchen and living area, as well as a large wine cellar and a workshop.

Mansion Global could not determine who owns the villa and when and for how much it last traded. 

Source: https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/showgirl-josephine-baker-paris-mansion-forsale-5e8df493?mod=