Before it was a museum, Arnaga was a dream, the dream of Edmond Rostand, the great writer of the last century. He imagined and designed this neo-Basque residence down to the last detail.
Traditional on the outside, the interior is designed like a sumptuous theatrical set.
It took just 3 years, from 1903 to 1906, for ideas to be transformed into a work of stone, with the contribution of Nice architect Albert Tournaire.
Tournaire employed a large number of workers to level the site, provide topsoil for the flower beds and transplant 30-year-old trees.
Large quantities of materials were brought in from Bordeaux, Paris, Toulouse and even England. Edmond Rostand and his wife, Rosemonde Gérard, commissioned renowned artists to decorate the rooms.
Furniture was meticulously designed down to the smallest detail.
Sumptuous gardens make Arnaga the "little Basque Versailles".
Around this vast house, Edmond Rostand created a series of gardens covering more than 15 hectares.
On the rising sun side, he laid out a French-style garden. A large pergola seems to enclose the garden space. In front, three planes follow one another: a large parterre of annual flowers, a large water mirror reflecting the house, and lawns bordered by topiary framing the canal.
On the sunset side, an "English-style" garden unfolds, combining greenery and mineral curves. Azaleas, Rhododendrons and Florida Dogwoods take turns blooming throughout the year. Other species, including Japanese Cryptomerias, offer a palette of scents, colors and shapes to awaken the senses.
The Edmond Rostand Museum
Now a Musée de France, the Musée Edmond Rostand houses an original collection of objects and works of art evoking the famous writer and his family, in the luxurious decor of the 19 rooms of this neo-Basque-style villa.
The house also features astonishingly modern facilities: electricity, hot water, hydrotherapy...
Arnaga is classified as a "Monument historique", and has been awarded the "Jardin Remarquable", "Arbres remarquables" and "Maisons des Illustres" labels.
Villa Arnaga is owned by the town of Cambo-les-Bains.
Gérard Depardieu bequeathed to the Museum the César he won for his performance in Cyrano de Bergerac.
Villa Arnaga - Edmond Rostand Museum
Route du Docteur Camino
64250 Cambo-les-Bains
Tel. : 05 59.29.83.92
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