When I flipped through a recent issue of French AD and spied a colorful article on classic twentieth-century chairs (think designs by Arne Jacobsen and Warren Platner), I quickly realized my trip to the newsstand had been worthwhile. It wasn't so much the sumptuously upholstered chairs that excited me, although I do think the chosen fabrics are beautiful. Rather, it was the photos' backdrop that quickened my pulse: the equally classic Chateau de Groussay. Made famous by its owner, prominent twentieth-century tastemaker Charles de Beistegui, Chateau de Groussay is the stuff of design legend. Artfully appointed by Beistegui with help from designer Emilio Terry, Groussay was a curious mix of French taste and British style, executed in a most luxurious fashion. But perhaps almost as famous as the house itself was Beistegui's collection of follies, including the famous Tente Tartare with its blue-and-white Dutch tiles, which can be seen below.
Beistegui died in 1970, and the contents of the chateau were dispersed in a 1999 Sotheby's sale. Having never seen Groussay in person, I can't say whether Groussay is as magical today as it was during Beistegui's tenure. (I have a feeling it is not.) However, it does appear that the current owners have preserved many of the house's original finishes and color schemes, which, still today, make for an awfully picturesque backdrop.
Photos from French AD, Arnaud Pykva, photographer.