Jean Cocteau House, Historic villa in Milly-la-Forêt, France
The Jean Cocteau House is a 16th-century villa in Milly-la-Forêt that once belonged to a larger castle complex. It contains several living spaces with original furnishings, artworks, and collections that offer insight into the artist's daily life.
The building dates from the 16th century and was originally part of a castle complex from the 13th century. Cocteau moved here around 1947 and made it his permanent home and workspace until his death in 1963.
The house shows how Cocteau lived as an artist and integrated his creative work into his home. Throughout the rooms, you can see personal objects and handmade pieces that reveal how he blended daily life with artistic practice.
The house is furnished with original items and can be toured through its rooms to see how Cocteau lived there. The residence is compact and easy to navigate, so a visit does not require a lot of time.
Cocteau used the attic as his summer studio, turning the space under the roof into his personal artistic retreat. He kept his collection of pastel drawings and works in this quiet corner away from the main living areas.
Location: Milly-la-Forêt
Official opening: June 24, 2010
Fee: Yes
Address: Rue du Lau
Opening Hours: Thursday-Sunday 11:00-18:00
Phone: +33171638985
Website: http://maisoncocteau.net/informations-pratiques
GPS coordinates: 48.40240,2.46459
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:42
France preserves the homes of its greatest writers, transformed today into literary museums. From Balzac's house in Paris, where the author of 'The Human Comedy' wrote his novels while drinking countless coffees, to Nohant Castle in Berry where George Sand met Chopin and Flaubert, these places tell the story of French literary creation. You can also visit Montaigne's tower in Périgord, where the philosopher wrote his Essays surrounded by his library, or the Château Monte-Cristo built by Alexandre Dumas after the success of his adventure novels. These houses offer direct access to the worlds of the authors who lived there. The priory of Saint-Cosme near Tours preserves the memory of Ronsard, a Renaissance poet, while the house of Aunt Léonie in Illiers-Combray takes visitors back to Marcel Proust’s childhood. In Normandy, Maurice Leblanc’s residence in Étretat celebrates Arsène Lupin’s universe, and in the Basque Country, the Arnaga villa showcases Edmond Rostand’s regional architecture, author of 'Cyrano de Bergerac.' Each visit helps understand how these writers lived, worked, and drew inspiration from their daily environments.
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