Innehållsförteckning för Euro Treasures 2015 från Victoria

Fervently devoted to his massive flower garden, called Le Clos Normand, Claude Monet was obsessed with designing the vibrant botanical compositions that characterize his estate in Giverny, France. The French Impressionist bought the roughly 2.5-acre plot in 1883 after spying the area’s verdant countryside from a train. During the next four decades, he transformed the existing house and sloping orchards to fit his family and vocational needs, as well as to embody his own personal tastes. The home’s interiors displayed his masterful touch—colorful walls and furnishings complemented works of contemporaries, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Édouard Manet. Yet, Monet considered the views of his brilliant surroundings to be equally captivating. Few are aware that the legendary artist truly planted to paint and that he halted his professional ambitions in…

In the contemporary environs of La Villa Augustine, in Apt, France, the spirit of art nouveau reigns—a curvilinear design philosophy that profoundly influenced both fine and applied arts, as well as architecture, in the twentieth century. Built in 1912 for a prominent family who had made their fortune from the mining of ocher, the manse later fell into disrepair. Now, more than one hundred years after its construction, renovations have transformed the abode into a boutique hotel in keeping with the original owners’ aesthetic. The three-year restoration effort reflects an affinity for stylized natural forms and sinuous outlines. Guest quarters evoke distinct eras, with each of the five chambers arrayed with period furniture and accessories. Airy and bright, the Neoclassic Art Deco Room opens to a pair of terraces overlooking…

Birdsong and sunshine fill the air, and soft breezes waft through doors flung wide open. The sweet scent of bountiful blooms drifts along heavy terra-cotta-tile floors, winding along halls and up an ancient staircase, where it perfumes luxuriously appointed bedrooms. The thick limestone walls of Borgo Santo Pietro once offered sanctuary to pilgrims making their way to the nearby abbey of San Galgano. Set in the hills of Valle Serena, the spectacularly renovated property is secluded, yet a mere half-hour drive from the ancient city of Siena. The inn offers a sense of intimate privacy enhanced by the highest level of comfort and service. Solicitous and ever present, the friendly staff possesses a gioia di vivere that comes from working in such a special place. They take time to make…

A late-spring haze hovers above the horizon, amidst the awe-inspiring landscapes of Beaujolais, France. The soil that nurtures the vast number of vineyards stretching across the countryside lends its unique properties to the acclaimed wines that originate in the Rhône-Alpes region. The area, named for its placement within the rich farmlands of the Rhône River valley and the uplands of the Alps mountain range, extends from the centrally located city of Lyon and encompasses some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. Tucked within pockets between the rolling hills, tiny villages suffused with charm beckon visitors to stay awhile and experience, even for a day, the joys of small-town life. A timelessness lingers in the churches that have stood for centuries, their doors still open to those who seek quiet reflection.…

Studded with emerald islands and raised beaches, the sea inlet of Strangford Lough sparkles off Northern Ireland’s coastline. Its shores are equally stunning with their rolling hills, picturesque villages, and scenic lighthouses. Amid this idyllic landscape of unspoiled beauty lie some of the most breathtaking gardens in the British Isles—Mount Stewart, which is also the ancestral home of the influential Londonderry family, including the nineteenth-century European statesman Lord Castlereagh. Surrounded by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the gardens owe much of their splendor to the area’s enviable subtropical microclimate. But they were little more than a few flower beds when their creator, Edith, Lady Londonderry, arrived with her husband, Lord Londonderry, in 1915. She could only have imagined the exotic planting schemes possible in this outdoor oasis. Her…

Dubbed “a most English of English country estates,” historic five-star hotel Bovey Castle beckons travelers with an enchanting blend of sophistication, recreation, and relaxation. The opulent manse, rising from the lush moorlands of Devon, offers an idyllic escape from the demands of urban life. A rich heritage contributes to the resort’s distinct sense of tradition. Renowned British architect Detmar Blow built the mansion (originally called North Bovey House Manor) in 1907 for the 2nd Viscount Hambleden. With its oak-paneled dining room, large banquet hall with minstrel’s gallery, and grand terraces overlooking a lake and the River Bovey, the home realized the height of English luxury. The Great Western Railway bought the property in 1928 and operated it as Manor House Hotel, receiving scores of dignitaries and celebrities. Having served as…

Raised in London, the noted authoress and artist Beatrix Potter was captivated by England’s Lake District during her childhood holidays spent among the quaint hamlets and misty moors. As a girl, she collected small animals during these trips and gently tamed them into pets. The domesticated creatures provided inspiration and companionship during her solitary Victorian childhood as she developed her story-writing and artistic talents. When Beatrix grew into adulthood, these tales and illustrations were published, and the now-cherished books became her livelihood. She continued to use many of the landscapes and villages of the Lake District as the backdrops for her woodland-animal characters. In addition to her literary fame, Beatrix was well known for her dedication to farming and the community. She used the profits from her first book to…

For twenty years, from 1874 until his death in 1895, successful industrial chemist Henry Davis Pochin pursued his passion—transforming a Georgian manor and its 80-acre estate into an exquisite haven where the seasons turn the color wheel all year long, creating stunning hues ranging from subdued russets to vibrant brights. Combining his scientific interests with a quest for beauty, Pochin devised a breeding program that has produced species of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, and other plants that are still grown today. Visitors to Bodnant would be forgiven for ignoring the science and simply enjoying the ever-changing tableaux that shift in sunshine and shadow. The grounds provide at least a full day’s exploration, with the temptation to return again and again to discover the most recent surprises. The renovated house, featuring Victorian-style…

In 1925, Welsh architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis purchased an old house and a parcel of overgrown wilderness along the coastline in Gwynedd, North Wales, that would inspire his life’s work. He believed that it was all very well and good to design a house, but designing an entire village would be a much better idea. The original structure was renovated and incorporated into what became a thirty-six-year-long endeavor that brought the dream to glorious fruition. Williams-Ellis completed the last building in Portmeirion at the age of 93. Even as much of the design world turned to stripped-down modernism, the architect retained his romantic sensibilities. His renderings were created with a definitive Arts and Crafts aesthetic, as well as a bit of classicism. An Italianate ambience seems to infuse every…

A midst green hills and miles of untrodden coastline, Scotland’s Orkney Islands contain a wealth of treasures and intrigue. The gorgeous landscapes unfold as visitors traverse towns and villages along the Orkney Craft Trail, on the main island. Founded in the 1990s by the Orkney Crafts Association to promote local artisans, the route weaves its way from Birsay on the north shore southward to Kirkwall and beyond, encompassing nearly twenty stops along the way. Well-planned tours lead to the workshops, studios, and galleries of these talented Scots who display their handmade goods. The assorted offerings are as diverse as the colors of the aurora borealis that lights up the skies above the islands each winter. Silversmiths create exquisite jewelry, incorporating coastal motifs or embellishing pieces with sparkling gemstones. Skilled weavers…

Bordered by the Rhône River to the west, Italy to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Provence, the lyrically named region in the South of France, defies physical boundaries to become more a state of mind. The beauty of the landscape and architecture, along with the graciousness of its people, fosters an atmosphere of creativity. Writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, and William Somerset Maugham have drawn inspiration from Provence’s legendary joie de vivre. Artists from Henri Matisse to Claude Monet also have found their muse amid these romantic environs. The area’s famed flowers bloom nearly year-round, with scarlet poppies nodding in the sun come springtime, fields of lavender swaying in the summer breeze, and yellow mimosa blossoms brightening the winter months. Vineyards fan out…