Le Point de Saint Hospice - Real Estate on Cap Ferrat's Quiet Tip
A Peninsula Within a Peninsula
At the eastern tip of the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula lies Saint-Hospice — a smaller promontory, quieter and more contemplative than the village centre, and widely regarded as the most exclusive address on the Cap. It is here that Paloma Beach is found, alongside a scattering of some of the most private and sought-after estates on the French Riviera.
The Chapel and Its Name
Saint-Hospice takes its name from Hospitius, a hermit monk said to have lived on the point in the 6th century. The chapel that now bears his name was built in the 11th century, on the site of an earlier sanctuary. It was restored under the Duke of Savoy, enlarged in the 18th century, and given its portico in 1826 — a long, layered history that still shapes the atmosphere of this part of the peninsula today. A statue of Christ the Redeemer has stood watch over the point since 1903, offering a 360° view across the Mediterranean toward Monaco and the Italian coast.
The Villas of Saint-Hospice
Properties on Saint-Hospice are famously few and far between. Most sit directly on the water, facing east toward Monaco and Italy, set within exceptionally large plots — some with two swimming pools, tennis courts, and pool houses. Among the most notable is Villa Fiorentina, built in 1919 by Thérèse Vitali, Countess of Beauchamps. Other estates long associated with the point include Villa La Tour, Villa Brasilia, La Petite Fiorentina — previously owned by the Givenchy family — as well as La Cucci Noya and La Fadarello.
An Artist's House
Just along the peninsula, Villa Santo Sospir adds a different kind of prestige to the area's reputation. In 1950, Francine Weisweiller invited the artist Jean Cocteau to stay at the villa, and during his visit he began the wall drawings that would eventually cover much of the interior, earning the house its nickname: the "tattooed villa." It remains one of the clearest examples of how this stretch of the Cap has long combined residential discretion with cultural history.
Real Estate Today
Saint-Hospice continues to hold its place among the most valuable addresses in the world. Its combination of waterfront position, historic character, and near-total privacy means that properties here rarely come to market — and when they do, they draw attention well beyond the Riviera itself.
