'Downton Abby: New Age': The French villa in the movie - everything you need to know

The luxurious drawing room in the title house of the TV series "Downton Abbey", with its bright green silk wallpaper and silk drapes, familiar to every fan of this fascinating drama about the fortunes of an aristocratic family, as well as the cozy library with its massive wooden fireplace, red sofas on either side, and a downstairs servants' kitchen decorated with copper cauldrons and a massive table, have come to symbolize the series, which premiered in 2010 in the UK and then aired on PBS in the US from 2011.

Each season of this work by Julian Fellowes, as well as its film adaptation released in 2019, unfolds around a patriarchal medieval and Jacobean estate made famous as Highclere Castle in real life, created by the architect of the Houses of Parliament, Sir Charles Barry.

There's a new movie called "Downton Abbey: A New Era."

will once again send the audience to the Crowley family universe, and now some of the characters will hide out in a new place that rivals their own aristocratic estate. During one scene in the movie, it turns out that the French Riviera has become a popular vacation destination not only in winter but also in summer, but the characters are not fans of the heat and extreme heat.

When Countess Violet receives news of the inheritance of a villa in the south of France, Robert, Cora, Edith and Tom Brunson go there to inspect it. They find a breathlessly unclassical seaside estate that is visually enchanting in its freshness and brightness. In addition, they bring along a retiring Butler Carson, who refuses to wear linen suits and suffers the effects of the heat.

For a long time, Villa Rocabella has been the filming location for several French movies. Everything has to be exceptional in Focus Features films, says production designer Donal Woods. Together with location manager Mark Ellis, they considered many houses from Monte Carlo to Marseille before settling on a property called Villa Rocabella in Le Prada.

The movie is set in 1928, and the plot suggests that 86-year-old Violet visited a French villa in her youth.

The exterior of the house is adorned with Ionic columns and the estate, originally built by Danish architect Hans-Georg Tersling, was restored by interior architect Patrice Nourissat in 2000. Large arched windows offer views of palm trees and the Mediterranean Sea, while the grand marble staircase is topped by a richly-painted dome. Belle Epoque is embodied in the house thanks to Fortuny's fabrics and rented furniture, chosen by decorator Linda Wilson in London, as COVID-19 prevented them from traveling to France before filming began.

Villa Rocabella went through many transformations before becoming the culmination of a Crowley family vacation. It was first an art salon and then a children's camp. Today it is available for private events and can accommodate up to 42 guests, perfect for those who want to experience a Downton Abbey fantasy.