Exiling himself from Paris in 1807 after writing a scorching article against the despotism of the Napoleonic regime, Chateaubriand acquired the property where he made numerous improvements over the next ten years. In the Vallee aux Loups, he continued to write fiction, and began his now famous Memoires d'outre-tombe. For more details on the history of the domain, there is a summary in English on La Maison de Chateaubriand website.
This year La Maison de Chateaubriand is housing an extension of the exhibit Tresors du Saint Sacrement, with gifts to Jerusalem from European royal courts. The main event is at Versailles - where a large selection of gold objects and religious ornaments are presented. In Chatenay, nine paintings, never before shown in Europe, are on display. All of these pieces are on loan from Jerusalem. The exhibit will continue through July 14.
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| copyright CG92, Olivier RAVOIRE |
In correspondence with the exhibit, a conference (in French) will be held at La Maison on June 18. The subject sounds fantastic : The Renaissance, or the end of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It will include a discussion of the evolution of the Christian view of pilgrimages resulting from the various religious, political and technological changes that occurred between the Crusades and the Renaissance.
The Conseil General des Hauts de Seine organizes summer events in the gardens. This Tuesday evening (June 11) the Avishai Cohen Trio of Israel will perform an evening concert under the stars. These concerts are really quite charming. Last June, I saw a rendition of The Magic Flute in the gardens. They set up a well-lit stage on the large lawn area just in front of the house with hay bales for seating. It's a great environment for an evening out with friends, and some food to share. As you listen to the music you'll watch the stars come out over the ancient fir trees that reach towards the heavens from the edges of the lawn. It's refined, the atmosphere is elegant, yet cozy and comfortable too.
On June 28, the Balade de Cirque - a series of circus events - will be held in the park as part of the Solstice Festival organized by the cities Antony and Chatenay-Malabry and the Theatre Fermin-Gemier.
Outside of the special events, the Vallee aux Loups is a great picnic destination. The park area immediately surrounding the Maison is reserved for strolling and reflection, but a larger part of the domain is open to cyclists and visitors looking for a green space to do other outdoor activities like frisbee, volleyball, etc. It's definitely off the beaten path, so you won't ever be surrounded by throngs of tourists. And you can easily get to it from the RER station Robinson, although the walk is 15-20 min.
Next week, I plan to write a few words about Rambouillet, an ancient castle that was redecorated by Marie-Antoinette, and more recently Charles de Gaulle. The forest of Rambouillet is an excellent haunt for cyclists and it's far enough away from the city that you can give your lungs a break with smog-free air.
- CSL
For more information on La Maison de Chateaubriand go to the website
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