Parallel Worlds: From the French Riviera to the Upper East Side
by ELLIMAN INSIDER TEAM
April 2026
This article originally appeared in Vicinity: Your Neighborhood Guide to the Upper East Side | Spring 2026.
Since launching its new global division in June 2025, Douglas Elliman has expanded its global journey from the Caribbean to key luxury markets across France and Monaco, from the French Riviera to St. Barths to the most beautiful alpine resorts in the French Alps, with more to come. With American investment in French and Monegasque real estate on the rise, we spoke with Fredrik Lilloe and Edward de Mallet Morgan of Douglas Elliman France about the striking parallels and enduring connections between the worlds of the Upper East Side and its counterparts on the continent.
Why are more Americans buying luxury properties in France and Monaco?
Americans have been investing in France for a long time, going back to the post-WWII period. Up until about six months ago, at least 50% of the sales here in excess of $40 million and $50 million were to U.S. buyers or passport holders. With the UK in flux at the moment, both politically and from a tax perspective, buyers are increasingly looking to Europe, and to France and Monaco, in particular.
There are a number of affluent, globally connected people who have already bought and sold properties in the UK and Paris and now see the French Riviera and Monaco as the next opportunity. We’re also seeing more people from the U.S. moving here full time, not for the tax advantages but purely for the lifestyle and the similarities between these global cities.
What similarities do you see between the Upper East Side and those French markets?
Along with the architectural similarities, many of the old townhouses on the Upper East Side offer the large scale and beautiful proportions one can find in the hôtels particuliers of Paris. There are also a number of cultural and lifestyle parallels, the mixture of retail, art, high fashion, and all of those luxury elements that you get in both places.
Geographically, these are all fantastic bases for accessing other locations nearby. Our clients on the Upper East Side also have homes in the Hamptons and Westchester, just as clients in Paris or on the Riviera have their beautiful apartments in town and then a private villa, beachfront, or alpine property just an hour or two away.
Do you have any favorite places to visit on the Upper East Side?
We’ve had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time on the Upper East Side over the years, both with clients and with longtime friends at Elliman who have taken us to some of their favorite spots. Elio’s, in particular, feels like an old-school family-run Italian spot that you’d find on the French Riviera or Monaco, with classic interiors, authentic food, and a mix of locals and international guests.
Now that we are officially part of the Elliman family, we’re looking forward to coming back, exploring the neighborhood’s unique enclaves, and spending much more time there.
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