rhyssain – Page 16 – French Travel Boutique

1 Min Read

Anna de Noailles

Anna-Elisabeth de Brancovan was a fascinating, exotic beauty, the daughter of a Romanian prince. Her mother was of Greek descent, born in Istanbul and educated in London. A talented musician, she instilled a love of art, poetry and music in her children. The family split their time between Paris (where Anna was born) and a beautiful country estate near Evian. Aged 21, Anna married into one of the most prestigious French noble families, becoming the Countess Anna de Noailles. Shortly after, she published her first book of poetry, which was critically acclaimed. She went on to publish a number of poetry books as well as three novels. In 1909 she moved into 40 rue Scheffer (in the 16th arrondissement in Paris where a plaque commemorates its illustrious former occupant). She furnished her bedroom as a setting for both her writing and a place she received guests. It was not the lavish theatrical setting we may have imagined, but more the small, simple bedroom of a young girl. She wrote on her bed, protected from the household noise by the cork wall lining concealed behind the yellow and blue fabric walls. In 1930 she starting writing “The Story of My Life”. In 1932 the first part was published, covering her childhood until the age of sixteen. She died the following year, aged 56. During her lifetime her talent had been recognised, with her receiving the Grand Prix for literature from the Académie Française and in 1930 she became the first female Commander of the Legion of Honor. In 1978, a year before he died, her only child, Count Anne-Jules de Noailles, donated her Louis XV style bed and bedroom furniture to the Musée Carnavalet as well as her portrait which is displayed over the bed. Anna painted as a hobby and two of her water colours are displayed on the walls. She had spent the last 13 years of her life largely in this setting.

1 Min Read

Marcel Proust

At Musée Carnavalet, the museum of the City of Paris, you find almost side by side, the bedrooms of two of the most famous French writers of the twentieth century – Marcel Proust and Anna de Noailles. Marcel Proust’s father was an eminent doctor and his mother was from a wealthy family and Proust lead a cosseted life. After his first asthma attack aged nine, his mother was very protective. He was well educated and even spent a year as an army volunteer but never managed to settle to a career. (His younger brother became a doctor like their father). He lived with his parents who funded his preferred lifestyle, which mainly involved writing and frequenting the society salons. When they died he went to live in an apartment owned by his aunt on Boulevard Haussmann in 1906, taking his furniture with him. He was paranoid about dust and pollen and stayed in his bedroom with the windows and curtains shut. He had arguments with the neighbours about the noise (the neighbour was a dentist) and solved the problem by copying his friend Anna de Noailles and covering all the walls with cork panels. The state of his health was not improved by his efforts to self medicate, with all the latest drugs to help him sleep and then adrenalin to help him work. He slept most of the day and wrote most of the night. When his aunt sold the apartment in 1919, it was a terrible shock. For a few months he moved in with his friend’s mother, the famous actress Gabrielle Réjane. He then took what he considered temporary accommodation in a small apartment in rue Hamelin (the 16th arrondissement). His health had deteriorated even further and he was by then confined to his bed, following his usual pattern of sleeping all day and writing all night. He died in this bed in 1922, aged 51. His most famous work was “A la recherche du temps perdu”, inspiring the John Malkovich movie “Time Regained”.

3 Mins Read

Colette

2 Mins Read

Honoré de Balzac

Less than a minute

The Writers

The bed was the most important place for a large number of the French writers. Whether they wrote in the bed or at a small desk nearby, the bedroom was the focal point of their lives. Their private lives were riveting and inspired so much of their writing. The preserved bedrooms act as a shrine to their memory.

Less than a minute

Victor Hugo

1 Min Read

George Sand

Aurore Lucile Dupin, aka George Sand. During a visit to her grandmother’s country chateau of Nohant her father died in a horse riding accident. The four year old Aurore was raised from then on by her grandmother Marie-Aurore de Saxe, daughter of the late great Marshal General of France (who took over Louis XIV’s bed chamber at Chambord). She inherited Nohant (~3 hours drive south of Paris) from her grandmother in 1821. She was light years ahead of her time and after a short time living with her uninspiring husband, she sought a legal separation and headed for Paris. One of her first lovers was fellow journalist Jules Sandeau. Together they wrote a novel which was published under the name J. Sand. When a follow up was commissioned, she wrote her first solo novel “Indiana”. Jules had not participated so a compromise was found. The novel was published with the name of the author as George Sand. She went on to publish more than seventy novels as well as writing plays, newspaper articles and political commentaries. She split her time between Paris and her country residence at Nohant where she had many famous house guests. Her tumultuous love life involved many of the famous men of her time including Chopin. When she was 45 her son introduced her to his friend Alexandre Manceau. Her son was not happy when she became involved with Alexandre, who was thirteen years younger. However it was her most stable and long lasting relationship. When Alexandre died fifteen years later, she moved into his bedroom and made it her own for the final eleven years of her life, dying in this blue room just before her 72nd birthday. George Sand’s granddaughter lived in Nohant until her death in 1961 when the French State took on the restoration and conservation of George Sand’s home and furniture.

1 Min Read

Chateaubriand

Chateaubriand is one of the giants of French literature. Regarded as the founder of Romanticism in the early 19th century he is best known for his life story “Memories from beyond the Grave” which he had originally planned to have published fifty years after his death. Reading his biographies, it is clear that he was more interested in having an important part to play in the political arena. Born into minor nobility before the French Revolution, he moved his philosophical position several times. He served under Napoleon and then the restored Bourbon monarchs. Although he held a number of positions, his track record from that viewpoint is less impressive. Arguably his most significant legacy from that side of his career was the “Chateaubriand” – a roast beef dish apparently created by his chef when he was French ambassador to London. His marriage was largely a side issue and he was better known as the lover of a series of women, notably including Juliette Recamier. After falling out with Napoleon, he was banished from Paris and bought a property not quite outside the “three league” limit at “La Vallée aux Loups”. The house and its beautiful garden still exist and are open to the public. His bedroom still has the original wooden floor and has been furnished in the style of his final bedroom in Paris. (See also Juliette Recamier). *A unit of measurement in France at the time. 1 league = 4 kilometers

Less than a minute

Charles de Gaulle

In 1963 the president of France, General Charles de Gaulle, decided to fully restore the Grand Trianon in Versailles as a presidential residence. He believed it was an ideal setting to welcome visiting heads of state. One wing was furnished as a private living and working area for the President. The opposite wing was set up for visitors and the Gallery and large rooms between the wings hosted functions. The presidential wing (Trianon-sous-Bois) included a bedroom shared by General de Gaulle and his wife. He used original Louis XVI period furniture from the national furniture depot. The beds, which were covered with fabric, had to be extended to accommodate the President who was close to two meters tall.

Less than a minute

Hector Guimard

Another major figure of the Art Nouveau period was architect Hector Guimard. He designed many buildings but today visitors to Paris will know his work from a number of the art nouveau metro station entries commissioned by the City of Paris for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. From 1903 the wealthy businessman Léon Nozal commissioned him for several projects. For the marriage of his daughter Caroline-Madeleine, Nozal ordered the bedroom furniture which can now be seen at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs. The moulded and sculptured pear wood set was originally placed in the mansion Guimard designed for Nozal.