John Lennon and Yoko Ono visit Keith Richards in France – 19 May 1971

Q: What is Exile on Main St.?

Released in May 1972, Exile on Main St. is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever made. It was recorded largely at Nellcôte between June and October 1971.

Q: Did Lennon give The Rolling Stones a song?

Yes — in 1963, Lennon and McCartney gave The Stones 'I Wanna Be Your Man', completing it in front of them at a music publisher's office. It became their second single and reached number 12 in the UK.

May 17, 2026

John Lennon and Yoko Ono visit Keith Richards in France – 19 May 1971

Wednesday 19 May 1971 | John Lennon
Villa Nellcôte, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Côte d'Azur, France

John Lennon and Yoko Ono visited Keith Richards at Nellcôte, his rented villa in Villefranche-sur-Mer on the Côte d'Azur, where The Rolling Stones were recording Exile on Main St. as tax exiles. Photographer Dominic Tarlé, who was resident at the villa throughout the sessions, recalled the visit in his book Exile.

Villa Nellcôte

Nellcôte was a grand 19th-century villa overlooking the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, between Nice and Monaco on the French Riviera. Keith Richards had rented it in early 1971 when The Rolling Stones left Britain to avoid a punishing tax rate — the top rate of income tax in the UK at the time was 83%, rising to 98% on investment income. The Stones joined a number of British rock musicians who became tax exiles in France during this period, including Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.

The villa had a basement which Richards converted into a makeshift recording studio, using a mobile recording truck supplied by Rolling Stones Records. The sessions were chaotic and sprawling — conducted largely at night, with a rotating cast of musicians, friends, and hangers-on. The resulting album, Exile on Main St., was released in May 1972 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever made.

Lennon in France, May 1971

Lennon and Ono were in the south of France in May 1971 as part of a period of travel between recording commitments. Lennon had released 'Power to the People' as a single in March 1971 and was preparing to record the Imagine album, which would be made at Tittenhurst Park in Berkshire and at the Record Plant in New York between May and July 1971. The visit to Nellcôte came between these two phases of activity.

Dominic Tarlé

Dominic Tarlé was a young French photographer who spent the entire Nellcôte period with The Rolling Stones, documenting the sessions and the life of the villa in extraordinary detail. His photographs — published in the book Exile (2001) — are the primary visual record of the Exile on Main St. sessions. His recollection of Lennon and Ono's visit is one of the few documented accounts of the occasion.

Lennon and Richards

The relationship between Lennon and the Rolling Stones was long and complex. The two groups had been rivals, friends, and mutual admirers since the early 1960s. Lennon had given The Stones their second single — 'I Wanna Be Your Man' — in 1963, completing it in front of them at a music publisher's office. Richards and Lennon moved in overlapping social circles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, and both were deeply involved in the counterculture of the period.

Key Facts: 19 May 1971

Location: Villa Nellcôte, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Côte d'Azur, France
Host: Keith Richards
Recording in progress: Exile on Main St. (released May 1972)
Photographer present: Dominic Tarlé
Lennon's recent release: 'Power to the People' (March 1971)
Lennon's next project: Imagine (recorded May–July 1971)
Reason Stones were in France: UK tax exile (top rate 83%)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were The Rolling Stones recording in France in 1971?

The Rolling Stones left Britain in 1971 to avoid the UK's punitive tax rates — the top rate of income tax was 83%, rising to 98% on investment income. They rented Villa Nellcôte in Villefranche-sur-Mer and recorded Exile on Main St. in the basement using a mobile recording truck.

What is Exile on Main St.?

Exile on Main St. was released in May 1972 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever made. It was recorded largely at Nellcôte between June and October 1971, with additional overdubs in Los Angeles.

Who was Dominic Tarlé?

A French photographer who spent the entire Nellcôte period with The Rolling Stones. His photographs were published in the book Exile (2001) and are the primary visual record of the Exile on Main St. sessions. He recalled Lennon and Ono's visit in his account of the period.

What was Lennon working on in 1971?

Lennon had released 'Power to the People' in March 1971 and was preparing to record the Imagine album, made at Tittenhurst Park and the Record Plant in New York between May and July 1971. The visit to Nellcôte came between these two phases.

Did Lennon give The Rolling Stones a song?

Yes — in 1963, Lennon and McCartney gave The Rolling Stones 'I Wanna Be Your Man', completing it in front of them at a music publisher's office. It became The Stones' second single and reached number 12 in the UK charts.