Evian-les-Bains
Located on the shores of the lake, this villa symbolizes the luxury tastes of Belle Époque residents.
The architect Moille started the work in 1885. This house was planned to become the residence of a rich owner but this one dies during the work and the villa stayed unfinished.
Antoine Lumière bought it in 1896 to make it his summer residence. This man was first a portraitist installed in Besançon. After the war of 1870 he moved to Lyon and became a photographer of the political and artistic world of Lyon. He encouraged his two sons, Louis and Auguste Lumière, to work on the invention of the cinematograph. In 1896, he began to transform the building into a refined home, at the request of his sons.
It is a grandiloquent style villa with a neoclassical facade and a large baluster terrace with views of Lake Geneva. Overcoming the low door, a monumental bronze replica of Michelangelo's Thinker is placed at the edge of the terrace.
The main entrance (located rue de Clermont) is framed by two Atlantis of the artist Devaux inspired by the Atlantis of Pierre Puget adorning the Town Hall of Toulon. The doors of are decorated with two bronze bas-reliefs: "Allegories of painting and sculpture",
This villa became the Town Hall in 1927.
Free visit of the hall, the large lounge and the golden lounge from 9am to 11am and 1:30pm to 5pm weekdays, all year. Access via the entrance situated rue Source-de-Clermont.
