Casamaures, Moorish Revival villa in Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, France.
Casamaures is a Moorish Revival villa in Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux featuring curved arches, ornamental plaster reliefs, and decorative tiles on both exterior and interior surfaces. The structure displays these Islamic-inspired ornamental elements throughout its rooms and walls.
The villa was built in 1867 under Joseph Julien Cochard's direction using innovative concrete molding techniques from that era. This early use of cast concrete as an ornamental material was forward-thinking for French residential construction at the time.
The villa reflects a 19th-century European fascination with Islamic design, displaying geometric patterns and arches that remain visible throughout the rooms and on the exterior. Visitors can observe these details in everyday spaces as they walk through.
The property sits in the foothills of the Massif de la Chartreuse near Grenoble and is accessible by established routes. Guided tours allow visitors to explore the architectural details and surrounding grounds at leisure.
The building used cast concrete molds to create ornamental details, a technique that was quite rare at the time and makes it an early example of this approach. This combination of craftsmanship with a modern material was uncommon for French homes of that period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
