Menton's Cocteau Museum Wins Insurance Ruling, Eyes Reopening

The administrative court of Nice ruled on June 8, 2026, that the Société mutuelle d'assurance des collectivités locales (SMACL) must pay €3.4 million to the city of Menton for damages to the Musée Jean Cocteau caused by storm Adrian in 2018. The insurer has announced an appeal. The museum, designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti and opened in 2011, has been closed since the storm, which brought 7-meter waves and severe flooding. Most damaged works have been restored, but about sixty pieces were lost. Disagreement over repair costs had stalled renovations. Mayor Alexandra Masson (RN) intends to start work immediately, even if the city must advance the insurance sum. The museum houses the world's largest collection of Jean Cocteau's works, donated by Séverin Wunderman, and also features pieces by Picasso, Miró, and Modigliani. It previously attracted 40,000–50,000 visitors annually. In 2025, Wunderman's heirs demanded the return of the donation, arguing the museum no longer meets exhibition conditions. The city has cited the inalienability of museum collections and noted that works are displayed at other venues like the Musée du Bastion and the Palais de l'Europe. Cocteau, a poet, playwright, and artist, had a strong connection to Menton, where he painted a mythological fresco in the town hall's wedding room in the 1950s.