France September 2017

National treasures
During the Journées du Patrimoine on
16-17 September, hundreds of buildings open
for free. Here is our pick of places to visit
CHÂTEAU DE
VAUX-LE-VICOMTE,
Seine-et-Marne
Described as a more tranquil
alternative to the palace
of Versailles, this 17th-century
château lies 55 kilometres
south-east of Paris. The theme
of 2017’s heritage days is
youth, so children have the
chance to dress up in period
costume and apply make-up
of the 1600s for free, to make
their experience all the more
authentic.
Tel: (Fr) 1 64 14 41 90
vaux-le-vicomte.com
HÔTEL DE
MATIGNON, Paris
This 18th-century mansion on
Rue de Varenne has been the
official residence of the French
prime minister since 1935. It is
normally off limits to the
public, but will be open all
day on 16 and 17 September
for visitors to admire the
famously lavish interiors.
Tel: (Fr) 1 42 75 80 00
gouvernement.fr
CHÂTEAU DE
L’ENGARRAN,
Hérault
This mansion is one of several
folies that were built in and
around Montpellier as a way
of showing off the 18thcentury
bourgeoisie’s new
wealth and status. The house
itself is usually closed to the
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Château
de l’Engarran; The Hôtel de Matignon;
The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte
public, but will open on 16-17
September for guided visits,
and theatrical performances
by a local touring company.
Tel: (Fr) 4 67 47 00 02
chateau-engarran.com
CENTRE
NATIONAL DU
COSTUME DE
SCÈNE, Allier
Situated in Moulins, the first
museum dedicated to theatre
costumes and sets includes
a collection of 10,000 outfits
from the stage, ballet and
opera. Visitors to the former
cavalry barracks will get
a free guided tour on the
heritage days.
Tel: (Fr) 4 70 20 76 20
cncs.fr
For more information, visit
journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr
LARA
LOVES...
‘I’m Dreaming I Am in France’ Sign,
by Abigail Bryans Designs, £17.50
This whimsical wooden sign, painted
in a distressed vintage-effect cream
and green, can either share your
love of France visually with others,
or would make an excellent gift for
a fellow Francophile. It can be
personalised with a choice of any
other country, but why would you?
notonthehighstreet.com
Les aventures de Sergette
Our intrepid gastropod Sergette is
out and about in France. Her
adventures this month see her
head for a famous waterway in
south-west.
WIN!
Our resident snail is
en vacances – do you
know where she is?
If you know the canal that Sergette is visiting (it is a Unesco World Heritage site), send the
answer, plus your name and address, to editorial@francemag.com or write us a postcard
(address on page 6) and you could win a case of three French wines (worth a total of £37.97)
courtesy of Naked Wines (nakedwines.com). Deadline for entries is 30 August 2017.
The winner of the July competition is Annabel Frazier, from Nottingham, who correctly
identified the city of Poitiers in the Vienne département.
PHOTOGRAPHS: HERVE LECLAIR/ASPHERIES.COM; 2015; CC BY SA 3.0; JEAN-CHARLES CASLOT
20 FRANCE MAGAZINE www.completefrance.com