Bagatelle

An unprecedented look into the history, art, and gardens of Château de Bagatelle, the Parisian getaway villa of kings and other royal family members.

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 château he had constructed there-designed by François-Joseph Belanger 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 and its magnificent rose garden remained open, but the château 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volume recounts the fabulous history of Château de Bagatelle and its various owners, with spectacular new photography, unpublished archival documents, and insightful text by a specialist.