The Sand Castle

La Jolla has no shortage of oceanfront homes. It has only one Sand Castle.

Inspired by the manors of the South of France, the estate seems to float above the Pacific, its glass and terraces opening every room to the water. Below lies its rarest feature: one of the only private beaches in California, a secluded stretch of sand for quiet mornings and private gatherings.

There is a main house and a guest residence, ten bedrooms in all, set among extensive, carefully kept grounds and protected by serious security. For all its scale, it is a house made to be lived in, with rooms for quiet as well as for entertaining.