The history of Château de Vie
Chapel Notre Dame de Vie is the earliest part of the site
The sanctuary of Notre Dame de Vie is a remarkable architectural achievement and has been protected as a classified site since 1938. The chapel has welcomed luminaries such as Picasso, Rostropovich, Rubinstein, Chaplin, Cocteau, and Churchill.
The chapel has a long history:
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1259
Two Gallo-Roman funerary inscriptions and a votive altar were found. In 1259, the name Notre Dame appeared in a bull of Pope Alexander IV, in which he confirmed all the possessions belonging to the Lerins Abbey and among them the castrum of Mougins with its three churches: Saint Jacques, Saint Mary, and Saint Martin.
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1519
The chapel was designated under the name Notre Dame de Villevieille.
Only minor events and alternations are recorded in the following years till 1656.
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1656
The chapel was given its final name of Notre Dame de Vie. In 1654, the chapel was rebuilt and has undergone modifications since 1656 including minor restorations throughout the 20th century. The chapel has all the features of a 17th century Alpes-Maritimes countryside, with the oldest part of the edifice, a bell tower, built in the 11th century.
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1730
Until 1730, the chapel was a ‘sanctuaire à répit’, where families could bring their stillborn children to be baptised and thus, according to Catholic doctrine, enter heaven.
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1970
Up until the 1970s, the town and chapel were home to a procession celebrating Saint Innocence, a virgin who was martyred in Rimini in 390 and was the patron saint of Mougins.
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2012
The town of Mougins restored the site through support from the DRAC PACA, the PACA region, the Conseil Général 06, and many private donors who participated through public subscriptions in conjunction with the Heritage Foundation.
The Estate in the 20th-century
In the early 20th century, the estate was owned by Benjamin and Bridget Guinness, who transformed a traditional farmhouse into a luxury villa. The chapel garden houses a monumental tomb built for the Guinness family and is the burial site of Bridget Guinness. During their time at Château de Vie (the Mas Notre-Dame de Vie) they hosted many friends including Winston Churchill, who often painted in the gardens, and Pablo Picasso.
The Picasso Years
Pablo Picasso purchased Château de Vie (then Mas Notre-Dame de Vie) in 1961 from Thomas "Loel" Guinness, Benjamin and Bridget's son as a wedding gift for his soon to be wife, Jacqueline.
The estate became Picasso's final home, and he lived in the house until his death in 1973. During his time at the estate, he produced some of his important works from his “later period,” with Jacqueline as his main muse. Among some of the art works produced in the house are The Dance of Youth, 1961, “Nu Assis dans un Fauteuil”, 1963, The Chicago Picasso, 1967 and “Femme Nue au Collier”, 1968.
Picasso lived in almost total isolation in his last residence, working prolifically. He developed a routine, sleeping late in the morning and working late into the night, sometimes until the following morning.
Picasso created hundreds of etchings within a very short time, as well as numerous paintings. His change in style was initially less well received by critics and the public than his earlier work. It was a long time before his later works, which were produced without exception in the rooms of Mas Notre-Dame de Vie, were fully appreciated.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
- Winston Churchill
