Located in Cannes, in the heart of Croix des Gardes, the Palais Vénitien stands out as a truly unique palace on the French Riviera. This exceptional property transcends the simple notion of real estate: it is a rare heritage residence, designed as an architectural work in its own right, combining luxury, history, Venetian architecture, and art de vivre.
The history of the Palais Vénitien
Overlooking the bay of Cannes from the green heights of La Croix des Gardes, the Palais Vénitien is one of the most unique residential developments on the French Riviera. Its history is inextricably linked to an extraordinary architectural, heritage, and legal project that spanned more than three decades.
A dream of a palace in the late 1980s
In the late 1980s, Saudi businessman Adil Khashoggi had the ambition to build a residence in Cannes inspired by the great Italian palaces of the Renaissance. Fascinated by the work of Andrea Palladio, he acquired a vast plot of land covering nearly 27,000 m² overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the Lérins Islands.
The initial project envisaged a monumental residence with exceptional volumes, incorporating marble columns, pools, structured gardens, and prestigious amenities, in the spirit of the great Venetian residences.
A construction project halted and a palace left unfinished
Work officially began in 1988, but was abruptly halted in 1992 following an administrative error related to the floor area ratio. As part of the land was unbuildable, the building permit was called into question and a municipal decree ordered the immediate halt of construction.
This marked the beginning of a long legal battle between the City of Cannes and the owner. For nearly seven years, the palace remained unfinished, frozen in the Cannes landscape, without windows or finishes, becoming a silhouette as intriguing as it was controversial.
The resumption of the project and the completion of the palace
In 1999, the administrative court ruled in favor of Adil Khashoggi, finding that the error was the fault of the investigating authorities. The project was relaunched, but the owner, weary of years of legal proceedings, gradually withdrew his involvement.
It was ultimately under the impetus of his son, Emad Khashoggi, a real estate developer with a passion for classical architecture, that the palace was finally completed. Through his company Cogemad, which specializes in the creation and restoration of exceptional residences, the project was completely revived.
The Venetian Palace was completed in the late 1990s, then finalized in the early 2010s with a large ecological lake, landscaped gardens, and definitive outdoor amenities.
A long-uninhabited palace that has become a contemporary heritage landmark
Unusually for a residence of this size, the Palais Vénitien remained uninhabited for a long time, reinforcing its almost mythical aura. Put on the market several times without finding an immediate buyer, it gradually established itself as a contemporary architectural landmark, at the crossroads of Italian heritage, French know-how, and the aesthetic ambitions of the late 20th century.
Today, the Palais Vénitien occupies a unique place in the Cannes real estate landscape: that of a timeless building, born of an extravagant project, marked by history, and completed as a work of art in its own right, closer to heritage than to a simple private residence.
The presentation of this Venetian palace in Cannes is part of the vision of Magrey & Sons, an agency specializing in luxury real estate. More than just a seller, Magrey & Sons provides comprehensive support for each property, including valuation, architectural preservation, and international positioning.
Today, this palace embodies one of the most accomplished expressions of luxury, Venetian architecture, and the art of living in Cannes, on the legendary French Riviera.
Historic Villas of the French Riviera
