Riviera: Where to find Julia Stiles’ lavish villa?

Villa Carmella really is popular with oligarchs and celebrities, but not with the neighbours

Riviera is awash with sumptuous locations, from Nice’s opera house to the five-star Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat.

Most lavish of all is the home of Julia Stiles’ character Georgina, the widow of a shady billionaire businessman. Their pad looks like some sort of Renaissance palazzo nestled in the Tuscan hills.

It is really called Chateau Diter and isn’t as historic as it looks; it was only built a decade ago by a French businessman who named it after himself.

Monsieur Diter rents it out to oligarchs and celebrities who throw opulent mega-parties like those in Riviera. No wonder his neighbours aren’t impressed; they’ve filed complaints accusing him of flouting environmental and planning laws, and want the chateau torn down.

It’s located in the heart of the Côte d’Azur, in the hills behind Grasse, France’s perfume capital. Cannes, Monaco and St Tropez are only a short drive away, but there’s no need to take the Mercedes; the chateau has two helicopter pads.

It also boasts three swimming pools, an orchard, an olive grove and a garden sprinkled with sculptures, ornamental ponds and Roman colonnades. “The historic and spiritual imprint of this castle is almost tangible,” promises the chateau’s website. “So, walk in its gardens, breathing in the scent of the flowers and citrus fruits, in such quantities, that it immerses with the timeless beauty of the Italian architecture.”

Good news: Chateau Diter is available for weddings and special occasions so 2000 of your closest friends can be immersed in that timeless beauty.

The bad news? The chateau’s website doesn’t actually say how much it costs, so it’s probably beyond your means unless money is no object.