Villa Beau-Chêne, the historic 12-bedroom mansion that served as Josephine Baker’s private residence during the height of her career, has been listed for approximately $24.45 million.
Inside the Mansion
The nearly 9,000-square-foot estate is located in Le Vésinet, a prestigious commune approximately 10 miles from central Paris. Built between 1890 and 1891 by architect Louis Gilbert, the property sits on 2.5 acres of manicured grounds featuring mature trees, extensive gardens, and original greenhouses. Baker occupied the residence from 1927 to 1947, according to the Societe D’histoire Du Vesinet, using it as a retreat between performances and cultivating its gardens as a personal passion project.
According to Mansion Global, the property has undergone comprehensive restoration to preserve its historical integrity while incorporating modern conveniences for contemporary luxury buyers.
Original architectural details include intricate moldings, parquet flooring, carved wooden accents, and oversized windows throughout. The main entrance features a distinctive purple door opening to a hallway decorated with period tiles, leading to a sweeping oak staircase that anchors the home’s interior.
“Villa Beau-Chêne is a piece of French art de vivre,” states Patricia Mehl, managing director of Côte d’Azur at Nest Seekers International, who holds the listing.
Adding, “Every detail, from the gold-leaf moldings to the sweeping oak staircase, has been lovingly restored to honor its heritage, while modern amenities elevate the experience to meet the expectations of today’s most discerning buyers. To find such authenticity and refinement so close to central Paris is exceptionally rare.”
The main level features four reception rooms with garden views.
The formal dining room showcases gold-leaf moldings and a marble fireplace, while the breakfast room features a coffered ceiling. An adjacent kitchen includes dual sinks, integrated appliances, and custom cabinetry.
The second floor contains a living area and three bedrooms, with additional bedrooms on the third floor and an attic room offering panoramic views of the grounds. The finished basement level includes a self-contained guest unit with a fitted kitchen and living area, alongside a substantial wine cellar and workshop space.
Baker’s connection to France began in 1925 when she relocated from St. Louis, Missouri, at age 19, accepting a performance opportunity despite speaking no French, according to VOA News.
Her stage debut at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees established her as an international sensation, and she subsequently mastered five languages while building a global touring career. She obtained French citizenship in 1937 following her marriage to industrialist Jean Lion.
Baker once reflected on the profound difference between her American and French experiences: “One day I realized I was living in a country where I was afraid to be black. It was a country reserved for whites. There was no place for Blacks. I was suffocating in the United States. Many of us left, not because we wanted to, but because we could no longer bear it… I felt liberated in Paris.”
During World War II, Baker served as an intelligence operative for the French Resistance and later joined the Air Force of the French Liberation Army as a second lieutenant. She leveraged her entertainment career as a cover for espionage activities, traveled extensively to gather intelligence, and contributed an estimated $11,713,030 to support French resistance efforts.
Her post-war activism included challenging American segregation laws during a 1951 United States tour, which resulted in a decade-long entry ban lifted by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. She participated in the March on Washington that year as the only woman speaker before Martin Luther King Jr.’s address. In France, she adopted 12 children from diverse backgrounds, establishing what she termed a “rainbow tribe” to demonstrate principles of universal equality.
In 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron approved Baker’s induction into the Pantheon, France’s mausoleum for distinguished national figures. She became the first Black woman among the 80 individuals honored there, joining writer Alexandre Dumas and resister Felix Eboué as the monument’s only Black honorees.
The Villa Beau-Chêne listing represents a rare opportunity to acquire a property with significant historical provenance in one of Paris’s most sought-after residential areas.