In brief
- The famous villa from the film Classe moyenne is located in the Gard, in the heart of the La Garrigue development in Castillon-du-Gard.
- This atypical 250 m² residence, nicknamed the “Escargot” villa, was designed by the modernist architect Joseph Massota.
- The social comedy directed by Antony Cordier, released in 2025, brings together a prestigious cast on screen, notably including Laurent Lafitte and Laure Calamy.
- This architectural landmark is now available for seasonal rental to accommodate up to ten people.
The famous villa from the film Classe moyenne, a true modernist masterpiece nestled in Castillon-du-Gard, stands out as the silent protagonist of Antony Cordier’s social satire. Broadcast tonight on the small screen to the great delight of cinema and architecture enthusiasts, this cinematographic work released in 2025 highlights a singular property. Beyond its role as a backdrop, this prestigious 250 m² residence, influenced by the theories of Le Corbusier, represents a stopover for aesthetes in search of geometric escapades.
A social satire under the Gard sun
A biting comedy under the Gard sun
After Happy Few in 2010 and Gaspard va au mariage in 2017, director Antony Cordier delivers a biting social comedy with Classe moyenne. Supported by a high-end ensemble cast bringing together Laurent Lafitte, Laure Calamy, Élodie Bouchez, Ramzy Bedia, Sami Outalbali and Noée Abita, the feature film revolves around an explosive cohabitation. The plot kicks off when Mehdi moves in with his partner Garance into the sumptuous property of his future parents-in-law, Philippe and Laurence. The apparent tranquillity of the place is shattered when a conflict breaks out with the villa’s caretakers, Tony and Nadine.
Presented at the prestigious Quinzaine des Cinéastes during the Festival de Cannes 2025, the biting comedy attracted 251,213 spectators in cinemas upon its release. In this open-air closed-door drama, the dramatic tension is magnified by an extraordinary architecture that transcends the simple filming setting. The spatial fluidity of the residence offers the filmmaker total freedom of movement, breaking the traditional perspectives of theatrical confrontation.
The secrets of the villa from the film Classe moyenne
To bring this class confrontation to life, the production teams set up their cameras during the summer of 2024 in the heart of the Gard department. The filming crews took up residence for six weeks during the summer of 2024 within this preserved development. More precisely, the filming took place in one of the five villas of the high-end La Garrigue development, located in the commune of Castillon-du-Gard. This privileged site benefits from an ideal geographical location, in the immediate vicinity of the medieval town of Uzès, the majestic pont du Gard and Avignon. A few atmospheric scenes were also captured in the historic streets of Nîmes.
Fact sheet of the Villa Escargot: BR· Property: Villa Escargot (La Garrigue development)BR· Architect: Joseph Massota (1925-1989)BR· Location: Castillon-du-Gard, Gard (Occitanie Region)BR· Area: 250 m² of living spaceBR· Capacity: Up to 10 guests (5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms)BR· Features: Infinity pool, no right angles
The visionary work of architect Joseph Massota
The Villa Escargot, a masterpiece by Joseph Massota
The property, named the “Escargot” villa due to its helical structure, was designed by a prominent figure of 20th-century regional architecture. Architect Joseph Massota (1925-1989), deeply influenced by the precepts of Le Corbusier, designed here a residence free of any right angles. This bold creator is notably responsible for the Notre-Dame-du-Suffrage-et-Saint-Dominique church in Nîmes. With its organic curves that follow the contours of the garrigue, the villa offers a constant dialogue between interior and exterior, characteristic of Mediterranean modernist architecture.
The choice of such a setting reflects the growing trend in French cinema to elevate architectural heritage into a true fictional character. Like the villas of the Côte d’Azur or Californian modernist estates, the “Escargot” villa in Castillon-du-Gard plays on the contrasts between the aesthetic rigour of concrete and the wild irregularity of the surrounding nature, visually symbolising the social divides playing out among the protagonists.
A modernist gem open for rental
An exceptional retreat available for rental
Good news for lovers of architecture and confidential holiday destinations: this residence is not just a cinematic mirage. This address boasts five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a superb infinity pool. Configured to comfortably accommodate up to ten people, the property is regularly offered for seasonal rental. It thus allows for a total immersion into the world of Joseph Massota, for the duration of a summer stay under the Midi sun.
Renting such an icon of modernist architecture is part of a discerning lifestyle, sought after by a clientele wishing to combine culture, design and the southern art of living. Far from the film’s turmoil, summer guests will be able to enjoy the gentle way of life in the Gard, between tasting local vintages and suspended swims facing the garrigue, with the certainty of enjoying a far more serene experience than that of the characters in Classe moyenne.
