01. VILLA SAVOYE POISSY
Le Corbusier's Manifesto of Modernity
Rising like a white ocean liner in its verdant setting in Poissy, the Villa Savoye, nicknamed "Les Heures Claires" (The Clear Hours), is one of the most celebrated icons of 20th-century architecture. Designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret between 1928 and 1931, it embodies the perfection of the "five points of modern architecture": pilotis (columns), a roof garden, an open plan, ribbon windows, and a free façade. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this revolutionary villa redefined the art of living by placing light, hygiene, and circulation at the heart of domestic design.
In 2026, a visit to the Villa Savoye remains a unique sensory experience, where interior and exterior merge thanks to its vast bay windows and its famous interior ramp. Wandering through its minimalist spaces, from the sun-drenched living rooms to the avant-garde kitchen, one appreciates the audacity of a work that still seems futuristic today. This national monument is not just a house; it's a habitable sculpture that continues to influence architects worldwide. Less than 30 minutes from Paris, it's an essential stop for design and art history enthusiasts.
02. VILLA CAVROIS
Auténtico manifiesto arquitectónico del siglo XX, la Villa Cavrois es la obra maestra del arquitecto Robert Mallet-Stevens. Construida entre 1929 y 1932 en Croix, cerca de Roubaix, para un importante industrial textil, encarna la modernidad radical. Con sus líneas horizontales limpias, sus fachadas de ladrillo amarillo y sus terrazas en la azotea, se asemeja a un transatlántico terrestre. En su interior, el lujo no reside en el dorado, sino en el espacio, la luz y el uso de materiales nobles (mármol sueco o de Siena, maderas exóticas). Fue una residencia visionaria para su época, equipada con calefacción central, ascensores, teléfono interior e iluminación indirecta integrada. Tras casi desaparecer en la década de 1990 (fue ocupada y vandalizada), la Villa fue sometida a una restauración histórica sin precedentes dirigida por el Centro de Monumentos Nacionales. El sitio web chateaux-en-france.com recomienda prestar especial atención al comedor infantil, con sus muebles de peral barnizado, y al gran salón-comedor, el verdadero corazón de la casa. El parque, con su estanque reflectante de 72 metros de largo, también se ha recreado según los planos originales, ofreciendo una perspectiva que realza la perfecta geometría del edificio. Hoy en día, es uno de los mejores ejemplos del movimiento modernista en Europa.
03. VILLA SAVOYE POISSY
Le Corbusier's Manifesto of Modernity
Rising like a white ocean liner in its verdant setting in Poissy, the Villa Savoye, nicknamed "Les Heures Claires" (The Clear Hours), is one of the most celebrated icons of 20th-century architecture. Designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret between 1928 and 1931, it embodies the perfection of the "five points of modern architecture": pilotis (columns), a roof garden, an open plan, ribbon windows, and a free façade. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this revolutionary villa redefined the art of living by placing light, hygiene, and circulation at the heart of domestic design.
In 2026, a visit to the Villa Savoye remains a unique sensory experience, where interior and exterior merge thanks to its vast bay windows and its famous interior ramp. Wandering through its minimalist spaces, from the sun-drenched living rooms to the avant-garde kitchen, one appreciates the audacity of a work that still seems futuristic today. This national monument is not just a house; it's a habitable sculpture that continues to influence architects worldwide. Less than 30 minutes from Paris, it's an essential stop for design and art history enthusiasts.
