However, Nice was not to remain Italian, as in the 1800's France won a war against the Kingdom of Sardinia and was given the City of Nice as a part of the peace treaty afterwards. This victory would set off what became known as the Belle Époque (Bell Ay-pock). The Belle Époque (Bell Ay-pock) was a time where France was basically thriving. The economy was doing good, so people had money and time for things like art and travel. Many cities were updated or completly remodeled during this time. Even in Nice, new hotels and casinos were built and new trains connected Nice to other cities in France. Tourism, especially from England, helped drive many of those new construction projects. During this time, a popular trend among French aristocrats (people with money, power, and influence) was to build fancy second homes along the coast.
The Villa Kerylos (cary-lowse) was built by a French aristocrat who wanted to build a home inspired by ancient Greece, Rome and Pompeii. He had copies of murals and famous Greek and Roman statues made as well as ancient-looking furniture and household items. The only "modern" features of the home were the indoor plumbing and the heated floors.
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild (Eff-roose-ee duh row-chilled) was another such home. This rosy pink mansion was built for a female French aristocrat and is filled with luxury items like expensive Chinese porcelain, tapestries, paintings and even a collection of traditional Asian clothes from the time. The Asian decorations and clothes were there because they interested the owner.
