Rebecca's Riviera: Where the 2020 Film Created Monte Carlo

When the young heroine of Rebecca arrives in Monte Carlo, everything seems impossibly glamorous.

There are grand hotels, elegant rooms, Mediterranean gardens and beautiful coastal roads. She is working as a companion to the wealthy Mrs Van Hopper when she meets Maxim de Winter, a mysterious English widower.

Their acquaintance develops amid the sunshine and luxury of the French Riviera.

It's a world that appears to promise romance and freedom.

But viewers familiar with Daphne du Maurier's novel know that Monte Carlo is only the beginning.

Most of the story will unfold later at Manderley, Maxim's imposing English country estate, where the memory of his first wife becomes impossible to escape.

For director Ben Wheatley's 2020 adaptation, the contrast between the two worlds was essential.

The Riviera needed to feel bright, luxurious and full of possibility. Manderley needed to feel darker, older and psychologically oppressive.

The production found its Mediterranean settings in Nice, Antibes and Monaco.

Yet the finished screen geography is much more complicated than it first appears.

A former luxury hotel in Nice becomes a Monte Carlo hotel. A historic villa in Antibes provides an elegant Riviera setting. Contemporary reporting identifies Monaco's Exotic Garden among the settings of the couple's excursions; the Film France entry itself establishes Monaco at city level.

And some of the hotel's interiors were actually filmed in an English country house.

This guide explores the real locations behind those opening scenes and explains how several buildings, hundreds of kilometres apart, became one believable Riviera world.

You can visit many of the surrounding public spaces while staying in Menton.

But not every building is open to visitors, and not every part of the fictional hotel exists in the place where the film suggests it does.

Title: Rebecca

Director: Ben Wheatley

Screenplay: Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse

Released on Netflix: 21 October 2020

Starring: Lily James, Armie Hammer, Kristin Scott Thomas, Keeley Hawes, Ann Dowd and Sam Riley

Based on: Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca

Production design: Sarah Greenwood

Genre: Gothic romance / Psychological drama

Running time: Approximately 123 minutes

In the film, Lily James plays the unnamed young woman who becomes the second Mrs de Winter.

Armie Hammer plays Maxim de Winter, while Kristin Scott Thomas portrays Mrs Danvers, the imposing housekeeper at Manderley.

The Monte Carlo opening introduces the heroine's uncertain position in a world of wealth and privilege.

She is staying in an expensive hotel, but only because she works for Mrs Van Hopper.

She belongs to the setting physically, not socially.

Her relationship with Maxim seems to offer an escape from that situation.

But the story soon moves away from Mediterranean sunlight towards the darker emotional world of Manderley.

How is this different from the original novel?

The broad premise comes from du Maurier's 1938 book.

However, the Riviera scenes in the film reflect the choices of a modern production team.

The camera locations are not necessarily the places described in the novel, nor do they establish the real-world inspiration for du Maurier's fictional hotel.

A literary setting and a filming location are two different things.

For the novel's Monte Carlo background, see our companion guide, Before Manderley: Rebecca's Monte Carlo and the Romance of the Riviera.

This article focuses specifically on the 2020 film.

The French locations are confirmed in Film France-CNC's official production listing. Their exact screen functions are further described in interviews with production designer Sarah Greenwood, National Trust material and contemporary film reporting.

Precise frame-by-frame camera positions have not all been independently established.

Address: 71 Boulevard de Cimiez, Nice.

Le Régina is perhaps the most surprising Riviera filming location in Rebecca.

Its monumental façade was originally built for international winter visitors in the late nineteenth century.

The building opened as the Excelsior Hôtel Régina in 1897 and famously accommodated Queen Victoria during her visits to Nice.

Today, it is a residential property.

But for the 2020 film, the production temporarily returned it to the world of grand-hotel luxury.

Why was it chosen?

The building already had the right architectural character.

Its size, façades, balconies and Belle Époque appearance communicated the prestige expected of an expensive Monte Carlo hotel.

Production designer Sarah Greenwood explained that the team used Le Régina to recreate the glamorous hotel environment of the film's opening.

The filmmakers dressed and transformed the space to evoke the 1930s.

From royal hotel to private apartments

Le Régina's genuine history is interesting in its own right.

Queen Victoria stayed there during three winter seasons between 1897 and 1899.

During the twentieth century, the building's original hotel function ended.

It was converted into residential apartments.

Henri Matisse later acquired apartments there and worked in the building during his Nice period.

So this is a building with several distinct cultural identities.

A Victorian luxury hotel.

A residential landmark.

An artist's working environment.

And, for the 2020 film, a fictional hotel in Monte Carlo.

Can you visit?

Le Régina is not an operating public hotel or museum.

The building contains private residences.

You can appreciate its architecture from public streets, but visitors should not enter entrances, courtyards or residential areas without permission.

There is no reason to try to recreate the film's arrival scene by accessing private property.

What should you look for?

The façade's monumental proportions.

The relationship between balconies and windows.

The building's position on the Cimiez hillside.

And the way its architecture communicates an image of prestige even after its original hotel function has disappeared.

Suggested visit: 10–20 minutes for exterior observation, combined with a longer cultural walk through Cimiez.

This is one of the film's most interesting production details.

The fictional Monte Carlo hotel wasn't created using Le Régina alone.

Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, England, provided parts of its interiors.

The National Trust confirms that rooms in the manor were transformed into the glamorous hotel shown during the film's opening.

Which spaces were used?

The production made use of areas including the Breakfast Room, Dining Room, Conservatory and East Gallery.

Furniture, textiles and decorative objects were temporarily removed or replaced to accommodate the film's design.

How does this work on screen?

The heroine arrives at a hotel represented by a building in Nice.

A subsequent interior scene may take place in an English country house.

Editing connects the spaces.

Production design ensures that their decorative styles feel compatible.

The viewer accepts both as belonging to one fictional hotel.

In reality, the buildings are in different countries.

Why does this matter for a visitor?

Because it's easy to arrive at a real filming location expecting to recognise everything seen in the film.

But part of the screen building may never have existed there.

Le Régina is a genuine Nice landmark.

The Monte Carlo hotel is a constructed cinematic environment.

The distinction makes the production more interesting, not less.

Location: Avenue Mrs Beaumont, Cap d'Antibes.

Villa Eilenroc is one of the most remarkable historic properties on the Cap d'Antibes peninsula.

Built in the nineteenth century, the villa stands within extensive landscaped grounds overlooking the Mediterranean.

Its elegant architecture, gardens and coastal location made it well suited to the romantic Riviera atmosphere of Rebecca.

What is confirmed about filming?

Film France-CNC lists Villa Eilenroc among the production's Antibes locations.

Contemporary reports of the shoot also identify it as part of the film's Monte Carlo and Riviera setting.

However, the exact exterior and garden shots should be matched with the film before specific features are labelled as definite camera positions.

What makes the estate attractive?

The balance between architecture and landscape.

The villa is formal and elegant.

Its gardens provide shaded paths, open views and Mediterranean planting.

The coastline creates a visual link with the sea and the surrounding peninsula.

These qualities support the film's romantic opening, in which the Riviera appears both luxurious and inviting.

Can you visit Villa Eilenroc?

The estate is owned by the City of Antibes and has been opened to visitors under specific schedules, events and garden-access arrangements.

It should not be treated as a property with guaranteed unrestricted daily admission.

Checked 4 November 2026: the dedicated municipal and tourism pages list Saturday opening, 10:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Confirm your specific date and which rooms or gardens are included. Published sources disagree about winter admission: the municipal fee schedule lists free entry October–March, while the tourism listing still displays €2. Confirm directly rather than relying on either amount.

A public garden opening doesn't necessarily include access to every interior room.

An architectural visit beyond the film

Even without a specific frame comparison, Eilenroc is a worthwhile stop for travellers interested in historic Riviera villas.

Its architecture and landscape belong to the history of wealthy international residents who transformed Cap d'Antibes.

That is a real historical subject, separate from the fictional life of Maxim de Winter.

Location: Boulevard du Jardin Exotique, Monaco.

The Exotic Garden of Monaco is one of the film's most recognisable Mediterranean locations.

Built into the steep hillside above the Principality, it contains an extraordinary collection of succulent plants and offers extensive views over Monaco and the sea.

The garden opened in 1933, making its existence historically compatible with the broad period represented in the film.

Its role in Rebecca

Contemporary coverage reports the garden as a Riviera setting involving Maxim and the young narrator. This is not an independent verification of individual camera positions.

Contemporary production reporting identifies it as one of the settings for their excursions.

The landscape helps communicate a sense of romantic freedom away from the formal social world of the hotel.

A major visitor update for 2026

The Jardin Exotique reopened on 30 March 2026 following extensive renovation.

The official Monaco municipal website confirms the reopening and provides current visitor information.

The published standard adult admission is €12 for the garden alone.

Combined tickets with the Grotte de l'Observatoire or the botanical centre are also available.

Seasonal hours

The operator lists closures on 19 November and 25 December, as well as the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix period. Weather, maintenance or safety restrictions may also affect access.

Verify the relevant date before travelling.

Accessibility

The upper garden plateau is accessible to wheelchair users, but the full hillside layout includes steep paths and stairs.

Visitors requiring step-free access should confirm which areas are suitable.

Official website: https://www.jardin-exotique.mc/

Why it's worth visiting

This is one of the strongest locations in the article because it combines a documented film connection with a public garden that can actually be entered.

For visitors based in Menton, it makes an excellent half-day outing.

Film France-CNC identifies additional locations around Antibes.

Among them are Plage de l'Argent Faux and Plage de la Croupatassière.

These are more specialised locations than the famous historic villas.

The importance of the coastal landscape

The film's Riviera sequence contrasts with the darker English landscape surrounding Manderley.

Here, the Mediterranean appears luminous and open.

The coastline provides the emotional setting for the narrator's growing attachment to Maxim.

Plage de l'Argent Faux

This rocky coastal area lies around Cap d'Antibes.

It's associated with the rugged shoreline rather than a large urban sandy beach.

Film France-CNC identifies it as a filming location.

However, exact camera positions and safe contemporary access points need further verification.

Plage de la Croupatassière

This is another coastal location identified in the official production list.

As with Argent Faux, the precise shot should not be assigned without comparing the film and contemporary geography.

Should you include both on a normal day trip?

Not necessarily.

The surrounding Cap d'Antibes coastline includes rocky terrain, private property and paths that may be difficult or temporarily closed.

A visitor shouldn't attempt to reach an uncertain camera position by climbing rocks or passing through private land.

For most readers, Villa Eilenroc and a properly accessible public coastal section will provide a more practical experience.

Film France-CNC also lists Grande Corniche among the production's locations.

The catalogue groups this label under Antibes. Treat it as a production label, not a precise road segment, walking coordinate or verified continuous driving route.

The road and surrounding elevated coastline offer dramatic views and have long been popular with filmmakers.

What does the road contribute to Rebecca?

The Riviera scenes use movement between gardens, coastline and luxury settings to suggest freedom and possibility.

Road sequences help connect those places visually.

But the screen journey shouldn't be treated as a reliable driving map.

A car may be filmed on several roads and the results edited into one journey.

Visiting safely

This is a road location, not a recommended walking itinerary.

Use designated viewpoints, public transport or authorised parking where applicable.

Don't stop on narrow bends, tunnels or live carriageways to recreate a shot.

For this guide, the Grande Corniche is a production reference rather than a required visitor stop.

The central house in Rebecca is not on the Riviera.

The production assembled Manderley from several historic properties in England.

Director Ben Wheatley explained that no single house could provide everything the story required.

Principal English locations

Cranborne Manor: associated with major exterior views of Manderley.

Hatfield House: used for substantial interior sequences.

Osterley House: provided service areas and additional interiors.

Ham House: used for some private interior spaces.

Waddesdon Manor: served both parts of Manderley's broader production geography and the Monte Carlo hotel.

Other locations included Petworth House, Mapperton and parts of the Devon coastline.

Why include this in a Riviera guide?

Because the contrast between Monte Carlo and Manderley is essential.

The bright Mediterranean scenes aren't simply a pleasant opening.

They establish the emotional world the heroine believes she is leaving behind.

When she arrives in England, the architecture becomes darker and more imposing.

The film's production geography follows that narrative contrast.

A revealing filmmaking detail

The National Trust describes how the production sometimes moved between buildings that were dozens or hundreds of miles apart while presenting them as connected rooms.

That's the same technique used for the fictional Monte Carlo hotel.

One screen space.

Multiple real locations.

For AzurMenton's Books & Films collection, this distinction is particularly important.

The fictional hotel

Du Maurier's Hôtel Côte d'Azur is a fictional establishment.

The 2020 film uses real properties to bring the hotel environment to life.

But neither Le Régina nor Waddesdon Manor should be advertised as the original hotel that inspired du Maurier.

The historic buildings

Le Régina has an authentic relationship with British winter tourism and Henri Matisse.

Villa Eilenroc has its own architectural and garden history.

Jardin Exotique is part of Monaco's botanical heritage.

These places are interesting independently of the fictional scenes created there.

The locations are spread across the Riviera.

Trying to visit all of them on foot or in one tightly scheduled afternoon would be inefficient.

Two separate outings are more enjoyable.

Itinerary A: Nice and the hotel that became Monte Carlo

Best for: Architecture lovers and visitors interested in the film's production design.

Allow: Approximately half a day, including transport.

Take the regional train from Menton to Nice.

Use suitable local public transport to reach Cimiez.

Visit the exterior of Le Régina from an authorised public viewpoint.

Continue towards the Cimiez gardens or Musée Matisse if you want to explore the wider neighbourhood.

Return to Menton.

What makes this itinerary valuable?

You can see the building that became the fictional Monte Carlo hotel.

But you also discover the real story of an important Nice landmark.

The neighbourhood's Belle Époque architecture makes the film's visual choices easier to understand.

Itinerary B: Monaco's Exotic Garden

Best for: Film enthusiasts, garden lovers and visitors seeking a relatively compact outing.

Allow: Approximately 2–3 hours, including local access and a relaxed visit, plus the train journey from Menton.

Travel to Monaco-Monte-Carlo by TER.

Continue to the Exotic Garden using a suitable local bus, pedestrian route or taxi.

Explore the garden during its published opening hours.

Enjoy the views before returning to Menton.

This is the most straightforward ticketed visitor experience among the three main Riviera locations.

Itinerary C: Villa Eilenroc and Cap d'Antibes

Best for: Visitors spending several days in Menton.

Allow: Half a day to a full day, depending on transport and public-opening arrangements.

Travel by regional train towards Antibes or Juan-les-Pins.

Arrange the final connection to Villa Eilenroc.

Visit only if an authorised opening or event has been confirmed.

If the villa isn't available, choose a public coastal walk elsewhere on Cap d'Antibes rather than attempting to enter the estate.

The visit involves more logistical planning than the Monaco garden.

For a single day from Menton, we recommend concentrating on Le Régina in Nice and Jardin Exotique in Monaco, provided the garden is open.

These two locations illustrate the film's use of architecture particularly clearly.

One shows how a former luxury hotel can represent another hotel in a different city.

The other offers a publicly accessible garden used in the Riviera sequence.

A practical day

Morning: Train from Menton to Nice, then local transport to Cimiez. Explore Le Régina's exterior.

Lunch: Enjoy a break in Nice or return towards Monaco.

Afternoon: Visit Jardin Exotique de Monaco.

Evening: Return to Menton.

This is a planning framework, not a date-specific transport schedule.

Confirm the railway connections and garden opening hours before travelling.

What about Villa Eilenroc?

Save it for another day if a public visiting session is available.

Its location on Cap d'Antibes requires additional travel, and adding it to the Nice–Monaco itinerary would create an unnecessarily rushed day.

A filming-location credit is not an admission ticket.

This is particularly important for historic private residences.

Compare Le Régina, Jardin Exotique and Villa Eilenroc as distinct real buildings and landscapes, not as a single continuous hotel.

Le Régina

Compare the monumental façades, entrances and architectural proportions.

Distinguish permanent features from temporary film decoration.

Jardin Exotique

Compare hillside paths, botanical planting and the relationship between the garden and panoramic views.

Keep in mind that the garden underwent renovation before reopening in 2026.

Villa Eilenroc

Compare architectural elements and the relationship between the villa and gardens.

Avoid labelling a precise terrace or doorway until a frame comparison establishes the match.

Record the film version

Timestamps can differ between releases or playback platforms.

A reliable photographic comparison should record the edition, timestamp and public camera viewpoint.

Use screenshots only where their reproduction is legally permitted.

This contrast is one of the film's most important visual decisions.

The Riviera is full of sunlight, elegant clothes, scenic roads and open views.

Manderley is associated with corridors, shadows and the weight of the past.

The young heroine's perspective

In Monte Carlo, the narrator experiences a world of romance and possibility.

She is uncertain about her place in society, but the journey seems to offer a new identity.

The locations reflect that expectation.

A new environment

When the story moves to England, the architecture becomes more psychologically imposing.

The film's visual design reinforces the emotional transition.

The Riviera scenes aren't the main subject of the story.

They are the contrast that makes the later setting more powerful.

A production designer's challenge

Sarah Greenwood's team had to create two coherent worlds using multiple buildings.

The Monte Carlo hotel needed to look like one establishment despite its separate locations.

Manderley required the same technique on a much larger scale.

That's the real architectural story behind the film.

This separation between verified production facts and literary interpretation is essential for an accurate filming-location guide.

Was Rebecca (2020) filmed in Monaco?

Yes. The production filmed in Monaco, including locations associated with the Exotic Garden.

Was the Monte Carlo hotel filmed in Nice?

Yes. Le Régina in Cimiez was used for the hotel environment, while some interiors were filmed at Waddesdon Manor in England.

Is Le Régina still a hotel?

No. The former Excelsior Hôtel Régina is now a private residential building.

Can you visit Villa Eilenroc?

Public access depends on the City of Antibes' current visiting programme. Confirm dates before travelling.

Is Jardin Exotique de Monaco open?

Yes. It reopened on 30 March 2026, with published seasonal hours and ticket prices.

How much does the Exotic Garden cost?

The published 2026 adult admission is €12 for the garden alone, with other combined tickets available.

Where was Manderley filmed?

Several English country houses and estates were used, including Cranborne Manor, Hatfield House and Osterley House.

Is the Hôtel Côte d'Azur in the novel a real hotel?

It's fictional. Neither Le Régina nor Waddesdon Manor has been established as its direct historical inspiration.

Can you visit all three main Riviera locations in one day?

It's theoretically possible with extensive travel, but more practical to separate Monaco and Nice from the Antibes excursion.

Is this a route about the book or the film?

This guide focuses on the 2020 screen adaptation. The companion literary guide explores du Maurier's original Monte Carlo setting.

Does the guide contain spoilers?

It discusses the premise and production geography without revealing the central mystery or the ending.

The Riviera opening of Rebecca appears to take place in one glamorous world.

A grand hotel.

Beautiful gardens.

Mediterranean roads.

Elegant people.

The beginning of an unexpected romance.

But the world we see on screen was assembled from several real places.

A former hotel in Nice.

A historic villa in Antibes.

A botanical garden in Monaco.

And an English country house that supplied part of the hotel's interior.

The production created continuity through architecture, decoration, costume and editing.

For visitors staying in Menton, those choices offer a rewarding way to explore the region.

You can discover the real buildings, understand their histories and appreciate why the filmmakers selected them.

But the most interesting lesson is perhaps this:

A film location has two stories. The one that happened there, and the one the camera persuaded us to believe.

Rebecca (2020), Film France-CNC

British Vogue: Rebecca Filming Locations

National Trust: Explore the Filming Locations of Rebecca

Condé Nast Traveler: On Location with Rebecca

The Observer: Rebecca Production Design

French National Heritage Register: Le Régina

Musée Matisse: The Historic Cimiez Neighbourhood

Jardin Exotique de Monaco: Official Visitor Information

Villa Eilenroc: municipal visitor information

Villa Eilenroc: tourist-office dates and admission

Waddesdon on screen

Netflix: Rebecca

Research reviewed on 4 November 2026. Film-location information was checked against Film France-CNC, National Trust and contemporary production interviews. This is documentary research, not a claim of full viewing or a site inspection. Some exact shots remain to be verified. Opening hours, admissions and visitor access may change. Private buildings must be respected. Supplied illustrations are artistic, not film stills or documentary evidence of exact locations.