Bagatelle: A Royal Residence: Two Centuries of French Destinies

In 1775, the Comte d'Artois, brother of Louis XVI and future King Charles X, purchased the Bagatelle estate in the Bois de Boulogne on the outskirts of Paris. The sumptuous chateau he had constructed there-designed by Francois-Joseph Bellanger and modeled on a neo-Palladian villa-along with its picturesque gardens were lauded by prestigious visitors from throughout Europe and America, including Thomas Jefferson.

Spared by the Revolution, Bagatelle became the setting for many important moments in European history, and in 1905 it was acquired by the City of Paris. The park with its magnificent rose garden remained open, but the chateau itself has been closed to the public for the last fifteen years. Undergoing renovation work carried out by the Mansart Foundation, with a team of experts and the collaboration of eminent interior designer Jacques Garcia, this architectural jewel is currently being restored to its former glory.

This beautifully illustrated volume recounts the fabulous history of Chateau de Bagatelle and its various owners, with spectacular new photography, unpublished archival documents, and insightful text by a specialist.