The Bellacourt Villa Was Abandoned After the 1936 Family Bankruptcy

The Bellacourt family established Bellacourt Villa near the fictional coastal village of Saint Mariel-sur-Bois in 1909, when Henri Bellacourt purchased and expanded the property after retiring from shipping work. The household included Henri, his wife Elise, two daughters, and a younger brother who managed estate accounts. Their income came from maritime investments and olive cultivation, which maintained the villa until financial losses weakened the family position after the First World War.

The first clear warning appeared in 1931 when a bank letter recorded missed payments on Henri Bellacourt’s shipping investments. The family began reducing expenses by closing the rooftop pavilion and unused guest suites, while garden workers were dismissed and repairs to the copper roof were postponed. After Henri’s death in 1934, disagreements between his daughters over inheritance delayed decisions. In 1936, accumulated debts from failed investments led to legal seizure of the property and the forced sale of remaining family assets.

Following the 1936 bankruptcy settlement, the Bellacourt heirs left Saint Mariel-sur-Bois, with one daughter moving inland and the other relocating abroad. The villa was listed for auction but remained unsold because of restoration costs and unresolved property claims. No renovation occurred, and no family members returned to occupy the house. Municipal records from the 1940s describe Bellacourt Villa as vacant, with damaged interiors, neglected gardens, and deteriorating stonework leaving the estate standing empty.