Overlooking the bay of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in the Alpes Maritimes, the Villa E-1027, built between 1926 and 1929, is the work of a duo formed by Irish architect and designer Eileen Gray and her companion Jean Badovici, a French-Romanian architect and art critic. E-1027 is a code name: E for Eileen, 10 for the J in Jean, 2 for the B in Badovici, and 7 for the G in Gray.

An avant-garde masterpiece, this holiday home recalling a cruise ship with its steel cable bodyrails and blue canvas awnings was Eileen Gray's first  architectural creation. Inspired by the Dutch De Stijl movement founded in 1917 at the initiative of artist Théo Van Doesburg, it is based on three of the five principles of modern architecture as defined by Le Corbusier, with its pilings, roof-terrace and horizontal picture windows.La Villa E-1027 fait désormais partie du site Cap Moderne qui réunit le Cabanon et les cinq unités de camping réalisés par Le Corbusier, ainsi que le restaurant L’Étoile de Mer que l’artiste avait pour habitude de fréquenter.

Intended for a single man who often entertains friends, the interior of the Villa E-1027 (120 sq.m/1,291 sq.ft) is ingeniously designed to reconcile shared and private areas. This largely thanks to the architect's creation of innovative furnishings, fixed or mobile, as witnessed by the small divan's bedhead in the main room with its pillow closet. A good number of Eileen Gray's designs for the Villa E-1027 became real icons in the field: the Transat and Bibendum armchairs, the E 1027 occasional table, and the Centimètre rug. To ensure privacy for its guests, all the Villa's bedrooms are designed to be autonomous, each one benefitting from a small terrace with a view of the sea.

When the couple split up, Le Corbusier, who had paid them regular visits, produced, with Jean Badovici's approval, a series of frescos, some of which still adorn the walls of the Villa. They were never to the taste of Eileen Gray, who thought that they distorted her work.

The Villa E-1027 now forms part of the Cap Moderne site uniting Le Cabanon and the five camping units built by Le Corbusier, along with the restaurant L’Étoile de Mer where the artist was a regular customer.

Visits solely by reservation: capmoderne@monuments-nationaux.fr