The French country house - Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery

The French Country House is now available as a paperback with flaps, but still has the same content as the hardcover and is equally transporting and evocative. The book celebrates what the French call l'art de vivre (the art of good living) within the intimacy of private dwellings set deep in the countryside. These are places of retreat - old manor houses, small chteaux, stud farms, even a former convent - that, because of their great age and the memories accumulated inside them, are beloved by their owners and provide endless delight for family and friends. Each country house is a treasure trove of history, with beautiful furnishings as well as precious heirlooms, such as family albums, faded love letters, attics full of old toys, fancy dresses, retired pianos, left-over brocades and wallpapers - even libraries hidden at the tops of towers. With 220 photographs in full colour - illustrating rooms from the salon to the kitchen below and the attic above, together with details of silver, crystal, tapestries, paintings, and much more - The French Country House is rich in the colours, textures and history of these treasured homes. Francophiles as well as lovers of dcor, architecture, and gardens will be captivated by this inside look at life in the French countryside.