Villa Kerylos at Beaulieu-Sur-Mer: a Virtual Trip!

Villa Kerylos, situated between Nice and Monaco at Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, France, is the recreation of a noble dwelling from the 2nd century B.C on the Greek sacred island of Delos, which is now open to visitors. "Kerylos" literally means halcyon or Kingfisher (a bird bringing a good omen) in Greek. The concept was envisioned by Théodore Reinach (1860-1928), a scholar and well known Hellenist, who built the villa in France as a token of admiration to the Hellenic way of life. It was designed by the Italian architect Emmanuel Pontremoli.

The design of Villa Kerylos follows a classic Mediterranean scheme which involves a central courtyard or περίστυλον (much like the palaces in Minoan Crete) surrounded by a garden with a selection of plants found in Greece including olive, carob and pine trees, cypresses, irises and myrtle; they waft their scented trail around to the enchantment of year-long visitors.
The central courtyard was customary in every ancient Greek dwelling: the focal point where air and light circulated freely, with a water basin in the center. All around, the walls are filled with frescoes depicting mythological scenes and shell designs, following the iconography of ancient temples and houses. The inside is completely furnished and decorate to reflect the way of life of another time, like a portal to island and land abodes of ancient Greece.

In the following clips you too can have a virtual touring of this fascinating place and let your mind travel to a summery destination. One of the perfumes which tries to capture the ambience of the fragrant garden at Kerylos is Jardin de Kérylos (16) by Parfumerie Generale (from the founder perfumer Pierre Guillaume), a dry and fresh fig accented by sycamore and woods, emphasizing the bright and fruity aspects instead of the milky, which transports us to another time.









Clips originally uploaded by cltcmoamoano and indiavideo and fnac (Copyright : EXTRUD / Culturespaces) on youtube