A self-taught architect, visionary, and profoundly free spirit, Jacques Couëlle (1902–1996) is now recognized as one of the leading figures in 20th-century organic architecture. Going against the grain of modernism, he developed a unique body of work in which architecture became inhabited sculpture, designed for living and emotion. His work is firmly rooted in the world of luxury, lifestyle, and prestigious real estate.
Close to Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Salvador Dalí, Jacques Couëlle moved in an international artistic circle where art, architecture, and design complemented each other. On the French Riviera, between the sea, hills, and Mediterranean light, he found the ideal setting to create unique houses and villas, which have now become absolute benchmarks.
In the 1950s, Jacques Couëlle founded the Centre de Recherche des Structures Naturelles (Center for Research into Natural Structures), laying the theoretical foundations for organic architecture in France. Inspired by Antoni Gaudí, he invented "landscape houses": houses that seem to emerge from the earth and blend into their natural surroundings.
Each house or villa is designed using scale models, adjusted on site with the help of craftsmen. The rooms flow naturally into one another, the spaces follow the light, and the views open onto the garden, the sea, or the hills. This approach gives rise to unique properties, offering comfort, serenity, and a quality of life rarely found on the French Riviera.
Long considered marginal, this vision has become an international benchmark. Couëlle's achievements are exhibited, published, and recognized as major works of contemporary luxury architecture.
In the 1960s, Jacques Couëlle built a spectacular collection of sculpture houses and luxury villas overlooking the bay on the heights of Cannes. These properties, now iconic, embody an architectural style that pays homage to the majesty of nature.
Arches, niches, curves, and volutes compose spaces sculpted directly into the landscape. The topography dictates the levels, the light structures the volumes, while the sea view becomes a central element. Some villas incorporate swimming pools designed as natural pools, in dialogue with the water and the Mediterranean.
These achievements establish Jacques Couëlle as a sculptor of living spaces, creating places that are as magnificent as they are timeless.
Near Mougins, in the hills above the French Riviera, the Castellaras estate is set in unspoiled countryside, in stark contrast to the principles of the modernist movement that still dominated the architecture of the time. From the outset, the project sparked debate and incomprehension, so much did it go against the dictates of straight lines and smooth surfaces.
Entrusted to Jacques Couëlle, a self-taught architect who dreamed of becoming an artist, the estate became a life-size testing ground. For Couëlle, harmony was not to be found in the geometric rigour imposed by man, but in the sovereignty of nature, which he sought to listen to and extend. This vision gave rise to a profoundly organic architectural ensemble, integrated into the landscape, where each house seems to have emerged from the ground.
Recalled to the Castellaras site in 1958 by a banker and a developer, Jacques Couëlle designed his first housing development of around 80 Provençal-style houses, which was completed in 1964. That same year, he extended the experiment with a second program of more luxurious second homes, with freer and more instinctive forms. Castellaras thus became the place where Couëlle could, for the first time, bring together and fully express the principles of his landscape architecture.
More than just a residential complex, the Castellaras estate is a unique living environment, both an architectural manifesto and an artistic laboratory, naturally preparing visitors for a more cultural and intellectual approach to the place.
It is in this intimate setting, conducive to exchange and creativity, that the Château de Castellaras has established itself as the cultural and intellectual heart of the estate.
Long before Castellaras was recognized as a major architectural complex, Jacques Couëlle was already intimately familiar with the region. In 1926, he built a medieval-style castle there for a wealthy American collector, demonstrating his early taste for expressive and narrative architecture.
When Château de Castellaras later became the heart of the estate, it naturally became a place for artistic and intellectual gatherings on the French Riviera. Designed as an organic village, far from convention, over time the château attracted artists, intellectuals, collectors, and cultural figures, drawn by the freedom of the place and the radical nature of its vision.
At Castellaras, architecture is never static: it becomes a living backdrop for creativity. The sculpted houses, curved volumes, and open spaces encourage exchange, reflection, and inspiration. The château thus stands as a discreet but powerful symbol of the artistic avant-garde, in deliberate opposition to the dominant trends of its time.
At Castellaras, architecture becomes a living backdrop for creativity. The sculpted houses, curved volumes, and open spaces encourage exchange, reflection, and inspiration. This place has naturally attracted major figures from the world of art and culture, making Castellaras a discreet but powerful symbol of the artistic avant-garde on the French Riviera.
In keeping with this tradition, Dragon Hill is the direct heir to this spirit: an intimate place, designed to be experienced, inhabited, and shared by those seeking an experience where art, architecture, and lifestyle become one.
One of Jacques Couëlle's rarest creations, Dragon Hill stands out as an extraordinary villa on the French Riviera, designed as a work of architecture to be lived in. More than just an exceptional property, Dragon Hill is a place of creation, retreat, and inspiration, which over time has attracted artists, architects, collectors, and personalities with a keen interest in art and architecture.
From its inception, Dragon Hill was designed as a space conducive to reflection, creation, and dialogue. Its unspoiled natural setting, powerful organic architecture, and surrounding silence have made it a sought-after retreat for artists, creators, and cultural figures, who come here to enjoy discreet stays away from prying eyes.
Located in Mouans-Sartoux, between Mougins, Cannes, Nice, Monaco, and Saint-Tropez, Dragon Hill is at the heart of a major cultural area on the French Riviera. Its proximity to the region's major artistic centers reinforces its status as a landmark location, at the crossroads of architecture, art, and the Mediterranean lifestyle.
The house unfolds its rooms like a succession of sculpted spaces, designed to accommodate everyday life as well as moments of creativity and sharing. The bedrooms, true refuges, offer calm and privacy, while the living areas open onto the garden and the swimming pool, integrated into the landscape, inviting contemplation and relaxation.
Dragon Hill opens its doors today to a select few, offering the rare opportunity to stay in and rent a major architectural work and enjoy an exceptional experience on the French Riviera, usually reserved for a privileged few. As part of this exclusive offer, the luxury villa can be rented as a prestigious rental property, among a very limited selection of prestigious villas on the French Riviera, aimed at an international clientele seeking locations steeped in meaning, history, and emotion.
Now available for rent through Magrey & Sons, Dragon Hill stands out as a truly unique luxury villa for rent on the French Riviera, a rare example of ultra-luxury real estate. More than just prestigious accommodation, it offers an immersive experience, designed for those who want to experience the architecture, feel the place, and be part of a rare art of living.
Every stay at Dragon Hill begins with an immediate sense of disconnection. The tranquility of the estate, the direct connection with nature, the open views of the landscape, and the Mediterranean light create an environment conducive to serenity. Here, luxury is experienced in silence, space, rediscovered time, and the quality of each moment.
The property is entirely designed to offer high-end comfort: fluid circulation between rooms, generous volumes, bedrooms designed as private retreats, living spaces that encourage sharing, contemplation, and rest. The swimming pool, integrated into the landscape, becomes a central part of the experience, inviting guests to fully enjoy the southern climate and the water.
Staying at Dragon Hill also means experiencing the French Riviera in a different way. Close to Cannes, Mougins, Nice, Monaco, and Saint-Tropez, the property allows you to alternate between moments of complete seclusion and quick access to beaches, iconic villages, and cultural highlights of the region. An ideal location for vacations with family, friends, or for a more contemplative stay.
This prestigious rental offer is aimed at an international clientele seeking a memorable experience when renting on the French Riviera, combining architecture, nature, and art de vivre. Dragon Hill is part of a confidential selection of exceptional properties offered by a team specializing in ultra-high-end properties at Magrey & Sons.
More than just a place to stay, Dragon Hill is an invitation to enjoy a rare experience, to live in a work of architecture and discover a different approach to luxury, based on emotion, serenity, and authenticity.
A prestigious architectural heritage on the French RivieraThrough Dragon Hill and the Castellaras estate, Jacques Couëlle has designed houses and villas that have become benchmarks for luxury architecture on the French Riviera.
Discover Dragon Hill, a renowned villa located on the French Riviera, available for rent through a real estate agency specializing in ultra-high-end properties. A rare opportunity to rent a unique property and enjoy an exceptional experience.
