James Bond may have a license to kill, but the actor who famously played him in the 1950’s and ‘60’s lived in a stunning mansion that was definitely licensed to thrill. Sean Connery’s palatial spread on the French Riviera was owned by the legendary actor in the mid-‘70s and is now available through Knight Frank for around $38 million (€30 million).
Although the renowned Scottish actor has not lived there in decades, the Robb Report says that he and his wife, Micheline Roquebrune Connery, who is French Moroccan and originally from the area, used to stay there between film shoots. The imposing, ivy-covered manse, known as Villa Le Roc Fleuri, sits atop a cleverly terraced and meticulously landscaped bluff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the old port of Nice and its crescent shaped bay. In the distance lies the Cap d’Antibes and the snow-capped Alps.
The Belle Époque-style home, which dates to 1928, is approached along a paved driveway and contains five bedrooms and five baths spanning 10,700 square feet over 6 floors. But the place looks a little different from when Connery owned it, however. The current owners dramatically increased the home’s size by buying two adjacent properties, thus creating two guest villas complete with plush living rooms, cozy bedrooms and functional, well-appointed kitchens.
The views from most rooms in the house are stunning, taking in the cobalt Mediterranean water and surrounding scenery. Terraced gardens lead down from the home to a saltwater pool which overlooks the sea. Many of the original Art Deco features survived prior renovations, including the ornate wrought iron gates, arched hallways, and stair railings that embellish the marble-tiled floors on the main floor.
An elevator whisks owners (and their special guests) to the master suite, which takes up the home’s entire top floor. This is where the property truly steps into mesmerizing Bond-like territory, though it is perhaps more likely a lair owned by even villain rather than the suave British spy. In addition to the two separate bathrooms, a condo-sized walk-in closet, and a sea-view balcony, there’s a gym and a connecting bedroom perfect for a snoring spouse. A staircase from the balcony leads to a rooftop deck with jaw dropping views and a indoor pool set into the rock’s foundation overlooks the Mediterranean.
No sign of any sharks appearing from hidden entrances. Choose your next witticism carefully Mr. Bond, for it may be your last!
These days, 89-year-old Connery lives in an idyllic home in another sun-soaked coastal enclave, the private gated community of Lyford Cay in the Bahamas.