The Great Read: The ‘Little Scorpion’ of the French Riviera
An eccentric watch heiress wants to revoke her grandfather’s donation of Jean Cocteau artworks after the museum built to display them was overwhelmed by a freakish storm.
The New York Times
The Great Read

February 6, 2026, 2:01 p.m. Eastern time

On weekdays and Sundays, we recommend one piece of exceptional writing from The Times — a narrative or essay that takes you someplace you might not expect to go.

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The ‘Little Scorpion’ of the French Riviera

An eccentric watch heiress wants to revoke her grandfather’s donation of Jean Cocteau artworks after the museum built to display them was overwhelmed by a freakish storm.

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