Overview
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat covers most of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, which runs south into the sea between the bay of Villefranche and the bay of Beaulieu. Saint-Jean was a hamlet of Villefranche-sur-Mer until it became a separate commune in 1904; it took its present name in 1907. The commune is small: 2.48 km² and 1,531 residents at the 2023 census.
What sets the peninsula apart is how little of it changes. Large private gardens take up much of the land, the shoreline is protected by several landscape designations and DVF records only about fifteen house sales a year. Patience and early information matter more here than almost anywhere else on the coast.
The peninsula, quarter by quarter
The port and the village
The village sits on the east side of the peninsula, facing Beaulieu. Its marina has about 560 berths and is well sheltered. Cros dei Pin, just north of the port, is the largest beach on the cape; Paloma beach is a walk of five to ten minutes from the harbour.
Pointe Saint-Hospice
The smaller headland east of the village carries the Chapelle de Saint-Hospice. A 1.8 km stretch of coastal path, about 40 minutes on foot, leaves the port, passes Paloma beach and reaches the Anse des Fossettes. Villas on Saint-Hospice look east across the water towards Beaulieu and Èze.
The southern cape
The lighthouse at Pointe Malalongue was rebuilt between 1949 and 1951. The longer Tour du Cap path, 4.8 km and about an hour and a half, starts at the Chemin de la Carrière, runs below the Grand Hôtel and passes the lighthouse before ending at Passable beach.
The north and the Villa Ephrussi
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, an Italianate villa built between 1905 and 1912 with seven themed gardens, stands at the northern end of the peninsula. It was bequeathed to the Institut de France in 1934 and has been open to the public since 1937. Passable beach, on the north-west side, faces west across the bay of Villefranche. Nearby, the Villa Santo Sospir, built in 1931, was decorated by Jean Cocteau in 1950.
Property and prices
Houses range from Belle Époque and interwar villas to recent rebuilds behind older walls. Flats are found mainly in small residences near the port and the village.
| Sales recorded | Median price per m² | Median price | Sales of €1m or more | Sales of €2m or more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houses | 29 | €31,550 | €5,302,000 | 29 | 25 |
| Flats | 51 | €12,390 | €685,000 | 17 | 6 |
Source: DVF sales records (DGFiP, data.gouv.fr), sales from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025; single-house and single-flat sales of at least €50,000 and 20 m². Median price per m² of built area.
Between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025 DVF records only 29 house sales on the peninsula; every one was above €1 million, 25 were above €2 million and 16 above €5 million. The median house price was €5,302,000 and the median of €31,550 per m² is the highest of any town in our price per m² table. Two cautions apply. With so few sales, one or two exceptional transactions move the median. And DVF divides the price by the built area only, so the value of land, sea frontage and view is folded into each figure. Flats tell a different story: 51 sales at a median of €685,000 (€12,390 per m²). That is the realistic entry point to the peninsula.
Planning: why the cape changes slowly
Several landscape protections overlap on Cap Ferrat. They include the site classé "Cap Ferrat" (order of 15 July 1975), the site classé covering the public maritime domain of Cap Martin and Cap Ferrat (30 June 1972), the site inscrit "Terrains littoraux du Cap Ferrat" (12 September 1966) and the site inscrit "Littoral de Nice à Menton" (15 July 1975). The waters around the cape form the Natura 2000 site "Cap Ferrat". Building rules come from the Plan Local d'Urbanisme métropolitain of the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur, approved on 25 October 2019 and amended since, together with the Loi Littoral.
In practice, any project to extend a villa, add a pool or rebuild should be checked before an offer, not after. A certificat d'urbanisme from the mairie and an early conversation with an architect who knows the protected sites are sensible first steps. Our guide to pools, extensions and planning explains the procedures.
Who buys here
Two quite separate markets share the peninsula. Villa buyers want privacy, a large garden and the sea within reach; they often wait a long time for the right plot. Flat buyers want a foothold on the cape within walking distance of the port and the beaches. Both groups compare Cap Ferrat with neighbouring Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Èze.
Schools and services
The nearest collège is the Collège Jean-Cocteau in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. For international education, the International School of Nice at 15 avenue Claude Debussy teaches pupils aged 3 to 18 through the IB programmes and IGCSEs. The International School of Monaco is further east. Our guide to international schools covers the options.
Getting around
There is no railway station on the peninsula; the nearest is Beaulieu-sur-Mer, about 2 km away, on the coastal line between Marseille and Ventimiglia. On foot, the Promenade Maurice Rouvier follows the bay from Beaulieu to Saint-Jean. Nice Côte d'Azur airport is about 20 km by road, roughly 40 minutes along the coast road and longer in summer traffic. See getting here for flights and connections.
Homes for sale
Any home on Cap Ferrat that Amber Connections is presenting appears below. Some homes here change hands without being advertised, so a buyer with a clear brief is better served by registering on the off-market register or by giving Agnieszka Hancock a search mandate to look across the whole market for you.
No home in this selection is presented publicly at the moment. Many of the finest houses on this coast change hands without public advertising.
Join the off-market registerFrequently asked questions
How much does a house cost in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat?
DVF records 29 house sales between January 2024 and December 2025, with a median price of €5,302,000 and a median of €31,550 per m² of built area. Every recorded house sale was above €1 million. Treat the median as a guide only, because the sample is small and land and view are included in the price.
Can I add a pool or extend a villa on Cap Ferrat?
Possibly, but the peninsula is covered by sites classés and sites inscrits as well as the Loi Littoral, so the answer depends on the plot. Ask for a certificat d'urbanisme and take advice from an architect before you commit. Your notaire should also check that existing works were authorised.
Is there a cheaper way into the peninsula?
Flats are the usual route. DVF shows 51 flat sales over the two years at a median of €685,000, with 17 above €1 million.
Can you walk around the cape?
Yes. The Pointe Saint-Hospice path is 1.8 km from the port to the Anse des Fossettes. The Tour du Cap path is 4.8 km from the Chemin de la Carrière to Passable beach.
How far is Cap Ferrat from Nice airport?
About 20 km by road, which usually takes around 40 minutes. The nearest railway station is Beaulieu-sur-Mer, about 2 km from the village.
Why are so few homes advertised?
With only about fifteen recorded house sales a year, each one draws interest; some owners choose to sell without public advertising. Registering your criteria early is the practical answer; see our off-market register.
Last updated: 11 October 2026