BLACKBOOK CLASSIC REVIVAL Right: the Napoleon III bathtub was carved from a single block of onyx; below: a Louis XV walnut duchesse seat, circa 1740, in the green bedchamber a decadent dinner party: from the Saint-Louis crystal laid out on the Louis XVI mahogany dining table to the decorative Imari porcelain lining the walls. After delving into the archives of the Monuments Historiques, Garcia also returned the château to its original, more spacious floor plan, reducing the 11 bedrooms on the first floor to six (there are seven luxury suites overall in the main wing and seven bedrooms in the left wing). The restoration of the parterre gardens, ponds and cascading water features was also guided by the plans by André Le Nôtre, the man behind the gardens at Versailles. For the interiors, Garcia referred to archived correspondence that described the furnishings in the rooms. Upstairs, each of the bedrooms has its own vibrant colour palette; the antique sofas and bed canopies have been refurbished in rich floral damasks by Prelle, a textile manufacturer founded in Lyon in 1752. The most striking of all, the master suite is decked out in floor-to-ceiling plush crimson velvet and has a spacious bathroom lined with 18thcentury coromandel screens. “My wife is a big fan of the Coco Chanel Suite in the Ritz, which has chinoiserie screens,” says Sergei. The room’s giant tub, carved from a single block of onyx, was once owned by the 19th-century courtesan known as La Païva, who rose to prominence via successive and scandalous marriages. Another historical acquisition – a chest of drawers from the Versailles collection, crafted for the Countess of Provence, the sister-in-law of Louis XVI – sits in one of the guest bedrooms down the hall. “Everyone believed the French government would buy it,” says Sergei, “but it was election season, and no one could take the responsibility of signing for it.” Grand as it is, with its sweeping staircase, candelabra and antiques, the château feels remarkably livable. “You don’t feel lost here,” says Sergei. “We’ve made sure it’s very comfortable as well. Every room has a fireplace.” He has also installed all the necessary amenities for the present day: an enormous, modern kitchen; a gym; a pool; and wifi. There’s one thing missing: “We don’t have a TV,” says Sergei. “I’m not a fan.” theheritage-collection.com PHOTOS BRUNO EHRS/CHÂTEAU DE VILLETTE, FLAMMARION 2018 46 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM CONTACT CENTURION SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS
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