France’s Famous Fans: The Stars Who Call It Home

There’s just something special about France, the romance, the delicious cuisine, the culture, and breathtaking landscapes, that easily captures hearts. Did you know that Hollywood stars, musicians, and worldwide icons have also fallen under its charming spell?

In her latest article, Beth explores why France is so attractive to the rich and famous, from private country estates to glamorous retreats along the Côte d’Azur coastline. With events like the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix shining a spotlight on France this spring, there hasn’t been a better time to explore why so many celebrities choose this country as their second home, or even their main residence.

Tag along as she reveals the secret spots where the world’s elite relax, celebrate, and enjoy la belle vie en France. 

“Is it the romance, the food, the music, the landscape, or simply that indefinable je ne sais quoi that causes so many of us to fall in love with France? Probably all of the above. What I hadn’t quite realised, however, was just how many international movie stars, musicians and celebrities have fallen under the same spell. Not content with simply holidaying here, many have bought sprawling estates, vineyards and châteaux, and some have made France their permanent home.

From Hollywood legends sipping rosé on the Riviera to rock stars hanging out in medieval hilltop villages, France has long been a discreet playground for the rich and famous. And during Cannes Film Festival season, you might spot more than usual – a period when the Côte d’Azur sparkles just a little brighter than normal.

Celebrities Who Fell in Love with France

The list of celebrity homeowners is surprisingly extensive: George Clooney and Rod Stewart, for example, the roll call reads like a red carpet lineup. It’s possible that some were swept up in the romance of la belle France, bought on a whim, and sold up just as quickly. That may be true for some, but certainly not all.

Celebrities Who Couldn’t Say ‘Au Revoir’

Elton John adores Nice. Castel Mont Alban, to be precise. And as you might expect from this much-loved, larger-than-life musician, his maison française is a flamboyant, sunshine yellow villa perched high above the Mediterranean. With sweeping sea views and a famously joyful interior, it’s his oft-used summer retreat. I think it sounds heavenly.

It was 1980 when Mick Jagger purchased his 16th-century Château de la Fourchette in Touraine. The stunning domaine overlooks the Loire and sits within formal gardens that include a pond and waterfall, a Japanese pagoda, and a tennis court. Having spent childhood holidays in this beautiful region, it was a natural place to buy a French Château. The ancient building now houses a recording studio. Even in rural France, a Rolling Stone needs somewhere to rock.

Bono owns Les Roses in Èze-sur-Mer, a peach-coloured Art Deco/Provençal shoreline villa on the Riviera. He bought it in 1993 and has spent decades restoring it to its former glory. Today, it’s used by family, friends and fellow musicians. It’s the kind of place where chart-topping songs are written between dips in the Mediterranean Sea.

Brad Pitt (and formerly Angelina Jolie) bought Château Miraval in the Var in 2008. A place visited by the philosopher Saint Thomas Aquinas, the 1,200-acre domaine sits among pine forests, olive groves and vineyards, aligned with an ancient Roman road. Its 17th-century buildings include a Romanesque chapel where the couple married. Although ownership is now the subject of a very public legal dispute, Pitt continues to oversee wine production there. Miraval rosé remains a global success.

Johnny Depp, never one to do things by halves, bought an entire hamlet near Plan de la Tour. It includes several buildings: cottages, a chapel, a restaurant, and even a private square, all restored with rustic Provençal charm. He and Vanessa Paradis reportedly spent years perfecting it. It’s one of the most extraordinary celebrity properties in France.

Natalie Portman, ever the epitome of chic, has lived in Paris for years. Her current home is a sumptuous 1912 mansion in the 7th arrondissement, just a short stroll from the Eiffel Tower. With high ceilings, classic woodwork and elegant reception rooms, it’s the sort of place that lends itself to elegant dinner parties and soirées for Oscar-winning guests.

Classics Filmed in France

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that France has featured so heavily in cinema itself. From Midnight in Paris starring Owen Wilson to French Kiss with Meg Ryan, Paris alone has enjoyed more starring roles than most actors.

And sometimes, filming here leaves a lasting mark. Johnny Depp fell in love with France while shooting The Ninth Gate (1999) and spending extended time with Vanessa Paradis, a romance that eventually led to his purchase of that extraordinary Provençal hamlet.

Ridley Scott already owned a home in the Vaucluse, but filming A Good Year (2006) deepened his connection to the region. The film was inspired by and partly shot in the very landscapes he calls home.

If you love movies filmed in France, and need a few more suggestions, add these to your watch list:

• Midnight in Paris
• Mission: Impossible – Fallout
• Inception
• The Da Vinci Code
• Chocolat

And if you fancy rubbing shoulders with a star, now is the perfect moment, as the 79th edition of the world-famed Cannes Film Festival takes place from 12 to 23 May 2026. 

Some Fun ‘Did you knows?’

• Cannes’ population triples during the festival.
• The red carpet is 60 metres long and is replaced several times a day.
• Selfies are banned on the red carpet (too slow, too chaotic).
• The Carlton’s ‘Grace Kelly Suite’ is booked years in advance.
• The harbour becomes a floating village of superyachts, each hosting its own ‘private’ party that everyone knows about.
• The Martinez bar is where you’re most likely to see a Hollywood star trying to be invisible behind sunglasses.

Alternatively, if you prefer your stargazing a little more low-key than Cannes, take a few days in the Loire Valley or up in the hills in the Var. You never know who might wander into a village café for a discreet glass of rosé.”

A special merci to Beth for shining a light on the celebrities who’ve fallen for France, and those fun French facts. If you go to the Martinez Bar over the next few weeks, you may make the cross path with one of these famous stars, or make the acquaintance of Agent 004, who has a few secrets to share!

And while we couldn’t include every celebrity in this piece, let’s not forget other famous France-loving stars like Helen Mirren, Jude Law, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams (Louis Vuitton’s creative director), and even George Lucas, who owns a Skywalker vineyard property in the south of France, similar to this stunning €10M Provence wine producing domaine.

If you’re dreaming of your own French retreat or a château escape, who knows? Maybe one day you’ll find yourself sipping rosé alongside one of these stars. Until then, let’s get back down to earth with our own star, and master of his own estate, the one and only Caesar (see image below), one of Beth’s wildest superstars.