Exile on Main Street - In Search of Villa Nellcote 

Went last Summer with my son and a friend. I'm originally from the area and were talking about the Stones while driving so, stopped by to show my son. We went inside the property (can't say how as I don't want to get anyone in trouble). The villa belongs to a wealthy Russian owner now (think wealthy enough he owns his own cell phone satellite!) and no trace of the band's stay or the album subsists in the house except for 1 framed picture of the band playing snooker! It has been remodeled many times around since the Stones recorded EOMS. The owner does not want to have anything to do with the history of the place and refuses offers to do tours or visits, including from the town of Villefranche or Nice. So there's that...

Homage to the greatest album of the rock era. As the Stones slowly come to the end, once a year or so I reflect on what a masterpiece this album is. It's an absolute reflection of the times and the pictures of the Stones in that era are glorious. Thanks for posting.

The Desert Island Album. Rock, Blues, Country, Gospel, Swamp, Boogie. Listened to it 100s of times in the past 40 years. Listening right now.

Thank you for the tour.. they are my favourite band and Exile is my favourite album. Keith Richards is everything.

Awesome! I have such an affinity for exile, the place it was recorded in, and the legend that the story has become!

Well done, man! I return to the "Exile" album at least once every year... Thank you for your video!

God bless you and all the beautiful souls keen on embarking on quests such as this one.

Simply the GREATEST album ever made !

Great slice of very relevant history. Thanks so much for posting.

Man, that's crazy. I just live exactly in this town. I will conquer that beautiful Villa someday, ha ha ha

Its fucking huge, I have been in a mansion in that area with a sea view, owned by an old dude who looked like Andy Warhol, I always wondered which one it was, they didn't mess around, Gordon Fucking Bennet. Thanks for your film its was fun, and a great irreverent homage to one of the greatest irreverent albums of all time, by the most decadent groovers of all time, excellent Rock and Roll film,

these people appear clueless, cant they share this guys enthusiasm, its a bloody Masterpiece of an album for Gods sake

That was pretty cool 😎 would of been a blast to have been with The Stones back in the day hanging at that ritzy joint. Oh those sweet days of youth.

Wow nice video , beautiful town, loved to see were the rolling stones ,recorded master piece album ,one of my favourite song is rocks off .

This is like a Monty Python sketch.

The French loved it. That' s why it was there. The Stones had to be left alone then. England's tax system was literally going to "cut into" the band's creative outlet. Pay or not, the Rolling Stones had to be out of the UK at this time. So we got Exile.

very well done - a real tribute to EXILE

Merci beaucoup por Operacione Nellcote de Stones le Rolling! I greatly appreciate your explorations for us. If ever you need bail, please let us know. I understand from Keith’s book that during their stay he had a Riva Speed boat nearby. I would love to see a photo of him with the Riva. The would take it to Italy for brunch!

the south of France . A sunny place for shady people .

This video was interesting but I would have liked to have seen some of the original photos of Keith and Nellcôte for comparison. And it could been around 5 minutes shorter.

Une idée géniale ; un endroit merveilleux, où les Stones ont réalisé leur meilleur ( double) album.

Thanks for sharing. Wonderful video. I’m going to put Exile on right now.

Been listening to Exile since it's release.

Pretty Damn cool man it's my Favorite album of all time

Very cool video. Thanks for posting

Love the photos of NELLCOTE,WOW,TALK ABOUT PRIVACY,AND IN MY OPINION, WHERE THE BEST ROCK N'ROLL ALBUM, EVER,WAS RECORDED,VERY INFORMATIVE POST,WHAT A CASTLE,WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT SOMEDAY,AND BE INVITED INSIDE,I WOULD BE IN COMPLETE AWE,I KNOW,DANGER OR DEATH,THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT POST,WALTER B.MEMPHIS..😛☠💯🌟🌠💥🔥

loved this expose. thanks foe showing us. what a legendary place.

This is me on my next trip to France draggin my wife there lol !

I've been a huge Stones fan forever and was even in Nice the summer they were recording Exile, though I never did run into any of them. And I love the whole mystique about Nellcote etc etc. But I never have thought that Exile is close to being as good as Let it Bleed or Beggars Banquet or Sticky Fingers. Those are - to me, the Stones at their best. The only track on Exile (though it's a great album) that rises that level is Tumbling Dice. And they hardly (if ever) fail to perform TD live and it's always one of the highlights. Primarily, I think because they can't really speed it up and play it too fast live as they do with many of their best songs. It's a slow, hypnotic groove and they don't mess much with it.

Thank you for your do diligence! Omg. Love this. Want more!

This is bloody hilarious mate new sub exile one of my fave albums of all time you remind me of michael Palin crossed with charlie sheen😄

❤ form Poland 🇵🇱

SECURITY ! There's some cat nosin round the gate man...

Summer 1971 ...Stones ..French Riviera

Thank you for the post!

Giddying to watch.

Are you sure that wasn't where Spinal Tap recorded?

awesome

I’ve been on pilgrimage there twice,last week was my second,everything was closed so I took a leak just across the main gate!😜

The power went to a trailer (make shift studio) outside, then separate extension cords everywhere in the basement.

Keith charged them all rent, Bill Wyman asked “you can’t be serious”, Keith replied “shut the fuck up Wyman”. Only part of the album was recorded in France, most was recorded elsewhere.

43 years later....

Nice. Thank you!

the place where it was recorded is just as famous as the album

Great Album

Thanks for your efforts. A delight to see that mansion. I have just found loads of then and now photos, which was also cool to see. I would love to see that basement. Did you go over there just in search? A really good effort and much appreciated mate! Greeting from one Brit to another!

Awesome.

best video on youtoob

Only six songs were recorded there.. With only pre demos.. A drugs hangouts,a millionair junkyard..

These people Couldn't name one Exile track?

you forgot your drone amigo.

Hey, if you are still alive ... ... give the guitar back to Keith. You can no longer return his instruments personally to Bobby. He has since passed away. But Keith would be happy. No matter how naive that sounds now ... ... but hopefully you will catch up on the deathbed again.

Loving Cup!

Villa Nell Cote is on Google Maps. It’s very easy to find using the same internet you are uploading your video to.

"We're getting close...way closer than before..."

Did Alan Partridge make this hilarious video? "Watch me getting locked out and stared at"

Oh this music.

Why didn't you just walk in when the gates opened? All they could say is "Get out". You went all that way.

Gotta dig it Keith says we had to leave England cause we were broke and owed more tax then they could earn. So what does he do, goes to south of France and rents the biggest house in town and throws the biggest half year party of premium drugs, booze and babes

Ah, back when rock stars lived like medieval princelings and walked the earth like gods.

Man, I am sorry to say it, but - bless your heart - you are rather rude in your interactions. There's something in your manners that needs finessing a bit, and I suspect you know and just couldn't give a damn about it. The man inside the villa would have probably talked to you, had you interacted slightly differently. Same for the other people you met all along: you were lucky they answered you and allowed you to film them, cause I wouldn't have, seen your manners. Anyways, thank you for the trip round the villa!

Speaking English with a terrible french accent 🤣🤣

Magnifique! Next time sneak in down to the basement and find the obscure vent/grate within that Keef perceived to be comprised of discernible swastika shapes. Nazi Rock! Then drive around until you hit a nubile girl on a bike in yer Rolls. Au revoir mate!

It is very unlikely the electricity was stolen from the railway ..just don't think it likely..how did they turn the power off to do the connections needed.

You made me dizzy,, take it easy with your camera lol

Par Excellence!!!

I like the understatetedness. Please, no plaque

Now owned by a russian national oligarch who deeply values his privacy

I wonder if those huge gates were there when the Stones were there. They were robbed while they were there. How did the thieves get in with gates like that? And steal all their guitars etc.

The tracks cited are not complete. What about Rocks Off for instance?

Too bad you don't juxtapose the '71 photo with your video.

is there any new footage from the actual basement?

If You would of offered a few shekels he would of named a song I would ask if they know Napoleon dynamite

You seem to have an obsession with showing ... YOU. Oh, and the sound levels were all over the place.

no one can ever name a track off of a decent album. What is this world coming to? BTW, I think this could have been done better with some extensive research and about 6 months worth of phone calls, no offense.

90 percent of the time he keeps showing his face.

..... Dude has the classic English, jacked-up teeth

To watch this is just losing time.

What a boring waste of time.

a bit of a waste of time really😩

this pretty much sucks

OK, I'm really dizzy watching this guy's home video. Thumbs down and the pompous French accent has to go. The French aren't cool enough to understand the Stones, the coolest band ever. Also, I just caught the riff and it is obvious ZZ Top plagiarized the Stones with their song LaGrange.