Book Review: The Splendor of France
Châteaux, Mansions, and Country Houses
The Splendor of France by Laure Murat is indeed splendid, in both its stunning estate profiles and the companion photography (the photographs in the book are by Roberto Schezen). It’s also splendid in its actual weight - this book is a tome!
But worth the weight (pun intended)!
If you are a lover of the fancy French style, then this is the book for you. There are no cozy French farmhouses or ‘A Year in Provence’ type fixer upppers, these examples are grand and on a grand scale.
Château d’O, in Normandy.
Formal French Style
Now, I have to admit right off the bat that I sometimes find the French style of the grand manor house or sprawling château a little bit fussy. Or maybe fussy isn’t the right word - maybe it’s formal. Compared to the English Country style that often delights in its time-worness, the French style is much more coordinated and dare I say a little less comfortable.
However, there is no denying that there is craftmanship and elegance within all of these walls. And while I prefer the slightly less precise decor of EC (English Country), I’m sure there are many others who view French style as supreme.
I would also note that as far as the formality goes, it’s more about the interiors. For instance, the Normandy style above is anything but stuffy.
A gorgeous Sphinx in stone at the Châteaux Vilette in the Paris region.
Design Details…
What I really like about the Splendor of France is the number of detail photographs. Often there is one page that is a full photo and beside it, is a detail type image. For example, there are a number of photographs of sublime garden ornament. I am particularly in love with stonework and statuary and in fact, I think the outdoor garden and estate images are some of my favorite.
Still, after saying that, I was leafing through the pages and realized it is just chock full of exquisite decorative arts. I mean, fabulous examples!
The library at Rosanbo in Brittany. On the left side is a detail image of the tapestry which is shown hanging in the library, on the right.
Here is an example showing the layout of most of the page spreads. I also appreciate this design because it gives the eye a rest with lots of white space on one side before moving to the larger image. I think too many full side-by-side photo pages would be overwhelming.
The following images are a few examples of the châteaux in between the pages. The above photo is in the Normandy architectural style that is storybook-esque.
Château Le Lude in the Loire.
Château Brissac in the Loire region.
Many Châteaux in France are surrounded by water or on water. Years ago, when I took a trip from the South of France up to the Burgundy region and on to Paris, we stopped at a château that looked as if it was sitting on water. For years I tried to remember and find out what the name of it was as I had forgotten. With the advent of Google Lens, I finally found it.
I would tell you the name now, except I’ve forgotten again! Anyway, it wasn’t this one:)
19th-century surface decoration at Roquetaillade in the Aquitaine.
Not all French Style is Fussy
Remember what I said about the French style often being more formal? Perhaps it takes itself a little more serious than English style, at least in the grand homes?
Well, this proves that is not always the case. The cheerful colors and style of this decoration actually look a bit English. Maybe that’s because it’s in the Aquitaine. In fact, there are a few examples in Splendor of France that have a distinctly English-ness about them. Furniture that looks Jacobean, some of the bed canopies etc.
A Palladian bridge in brick on the grounds of Château Groussay om the Paris region.
The photo below really gave me pause…because I love a beautiful kitchen.
The kitchen at Château Montgeoffroy in the Loire region.
There are many things in this book that covet-worthy, but for me, this array of copper pots is just - OMG, next level. These deserve the double-page spread they take up. It all looks quite polished too.
Dining salon at Château Anet, Paris region to the left, at right, a grand room.
In closing…
This is the last photo I’m including…but there are so many, many more. This book is full of images depicting scenes of beauty and elegant architecture. I wanted to include this photograph because the image on the left shows more enticing decorative details. I especially love the chandelier. At first I thought it spelled out something in between the candles, which would have been kind of cool. But it’s marvelous even if it doesn’t. It looks like a crown, now that I notice there’s the French fleur-de-lis behind each candle trio.
In closing, I want to stress that while Splendor of France is primarily about the estates and families who inhabited them, for me, the real value of this book is the plethora of decorative arts and details shown. From wall coverings to stonework to gardens, it’s a valuable resource for any designer who considers themselves a Francophile.
P.S.
This book pairs well with something sparkling…and when in France, that means Champagne (or Cremant, if you prefer a bubbly from another region).
Santé!
Splendor of France by Laura Murat, was published in 1991, with the book photography by Roberto Schezen. Introduction by Olivier Bernier.
NOTE: there is a shorter, paperback version of this book, but the one that I have is the 420-ish page hardback which I believe is now only available on the secondhand market.