Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

Pierre Cardin’s Retro-Futuristic Bubble Palace in Cannes Is On the Market

Pierre Cardin’s Retro-Futuristic Bubble Palace in Cannes Is On the Market

The otherworldly estate owned by the late fashion designer mimics prehistoric cave dwellings with a Space Age twist.

On a rocky outcrop of the Massif de L’Esterel mountain range on the French Riveria, the iconic Le Palais Bulles, or Bubble Palace, has resurfaced on the market following the recent passing of its owner, legendary designer Pierre Cardin.



The 13,000-square-foot Le Palais Bulles is embedded into a cliff at at Théoule-sur-Mer near Cannes.



The 2.1-acre property is spread out across six levels and includes gardens and three pools.

Cardin, who purchased the property in 1992 as a private events venue, was the second owner of the palatial property comprising a 13,000-square-foot luxury home with 29 rooms, a 500-seat open-air amphitheater overlooking the Mediterranean, a reception hall, and other amenities housed within a series of interconnected domes that inspired its name.



The cave-like domes were built from reinforced wire mesh spray-coated with a concrete mix.



"Its curves and its softness," said Cardin in Jean-Paul Hesse’s book Le Palais Bulles de Pierre Cardin, "makes me see the shapes of a woman, of a mother. That’s why I feel good there."



Le Palais Bulles includes 11 baths and 10 bedrooms, each individually decorated by different contemporary artists including the likes of Jerome Tisserand, Daniel You, and François Chauvin.

Constructed over 14 years and completed in 1989, the curvaceous compound was the magnum opus of avant-garde Hungarian architect Antti Lovag, who designed the home for one of his biggest patrons, French industrialist Pierre Bernard. Lovag’s interest in spherical architecture stemmed from his belief that straight lines are an "aggression against nature" and that curves were better suited to the mobility of man.



Le Palais Bulles was originally built for Pierre Bernard, who also owned the Maison Bernard, Lovag’s first "bubble" house in Théoule-sur-Mer. Unlike Le Palais Bulles, Maison Bernard is open to the public for guided visits and hosts an artists’ residence program.



The window pictured here next to the pool slides down to follow Lovag's concept of continuous circulation.



Lovag's celebration of circulation and motion is also represented in this three-tiered waterfall feature.

Although Cardin never lived in the sculptural house since he owned other property nearby, the legendary designer told the French newspaper Le Figaro that he had "known nothing but happiness [here], including magical evenings and unforgettable parties. I’ve hosted many celebrities here."



The central palm terrace is perfectly positioned for views of the sea and for hosting outdoor events.



After purchasing the property, Cardin added a 500-seat outdoor amphitheater that overlooks the Mediterranean. A large reception hall is located beneath the amphitheater.

In addition to hosting star-studded after-parties for the Cannes Film Festival and major fashion galas such as the Dior Cruise Collection 2016, Cardin rented out Le Palais Bulles for commercials and other events for approximately €30,000 a day.



A peek inside the large living room furnished with custom fabric furniture built by Claude Prévost.



The furnishings and artworks, which include custom creations by Lovag and Cardin, mimic the curvaceous architecture and are included in the sale.



The labyrinthine interior has few dividing walls and doors to allow rooms to merge together.



A look down one of the serpentine stairways.

"Clinging to the rocky Estérel, this palace has become my own bit of paradise," said Cardin. "Its cellular forms have long reflected the outward manifestations of the image of my creations. It is a museum where I exhibit the works of contemporary designers and artists."



Red Carrera marble floors used throughout match the domes’ dusty pink hue.



Elliptical and circular openings throughout the home frame views of the Mediterranean.



The colored fiberglass doors are also rounded.



A dome-shaped dining module swings open to connect with the outdoors.

Le Palais Bulles was originally listed in 2016 with an asking price of €350 million, which made it one of the most expensive properties in Europe at the time. The current price is undisclosed.



The porthole-like windows stem from Lovag's studies in naval architecture.



Skylights inserted into the tops of the domes can be opened up for access to the roof.



The French Ministry of Culture has listed Le Palais Bulles among its national historic monuments since 1999.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
×