Jazz Age Performer Josephine Baker’s Former French Château Lists for $24 Million

Le Vésinet, Yvelines, France

Villa Beau-Chène, the Parisian manor where Jazz Age Performer Josephine Baker lived for nearly 20 years, has hit the market for $24 million. Designed by French architect Louis Gilbert in the 1890s, the highly detailed residence showcases a scalloped entrance canopy and original features like a solid oak staircase, ornate gold-leaf moldings, and period parquet flooring. Baker was among the most celebrated performers to headline the revues of the Folies Bergère in Paris and also the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture, the 1927 French silent film Siren of the Tropics, directed by Mario Nalpas and Henri Étiévant. She purchased the mansion from a Romanian-born princess, Anna, countess of Noailles, according to Elle Decor. According to listing details, Villa Beau-Chène sits on over one hectare with a main house & a caretaker’s house, with interior rooms including four large living spaces with unobstructed garden views, a fully equipped kitchen, and a total of 12 bedrooms.

During World War II, Baker secretly served the French Resistance, an effort that was not fully publicized until French documents were declassified in 2020. For her heroism, she received France’s highest military honors, including the Croix de Guerre and the Resistance Medal, and was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by General Charles de Gaulle. Known for her refusal to perform for segregated audiences in the U.S., Baker also made significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, though she declined an offer for unofficial leadership after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. On November 30, 2021, Baker became the first Black woman to be inducted into the Panthéon in Paris. Villa Beau-Chène is currently on the market for $24 million with Nest Seekers International & De Ferla. Photography Credit: Nest Seekers International & De Ferla

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