Napoleon complex

On the French Riviera, and up for bidding, with a starting figure of $13 million;

Known as "Les Colombières," the 8,611-square-foot main home in Menton, France, on the French Riviera near the Italian border, has 14 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. It includes a drawing room with a fireplace, a Moorish-inspired courtyard, restored hand-painted murals and frescoes of Greek mythology, marble and stone floors and stained glass windows. The nearly 9-acre property has botanical arrangements around obelisks, fountains and statues, a guest apartment and guesthouse, an outdoor heated pool and servants' quarters. There are views of the Côte d'Azur and the harbor.

Ferdinand Bac, the great nephew of Napoleon I, was an artist and garden designer who rebuilt and expanded the property in the 1920s. He painted the frescoes, designed much of the furniture and laid out the gardens.

Why put it up for auction? ...because French luxury real-estate market activity has been down 50%, reflecting new initiatives that raise taxes on wealthy French individuals....