Innehållsförteckning för May/June 2025 från Victoria

Dear Friends While visiting my son and daughter-in-law in Europe a few months ago, unfortunate car issues dashed our original plans to drive to a major city situated a few hours away from their home, and we were left with an open day to fill. Providentially, I had just learned about a nearby town that we could reach by coach within the same window of time, so we set out to explore a destination that was new to all three of us. Entering the charming village, with its cobblestone streets and half-timbered architecture, we felt as if we had stepped into a classic storybook. Wandering happily, we paused to take photos at a particularly picturesque spot, and a passerby encouraged us to stroll through the alley behind us. Initially, we…

Arriving at the Gare du Nord in Paris in the spring of 1894, Lord Carnarvon waited for his valet, Fernside, to engage sufficient porters for his luggage. With Corinthian columns and a façade designed around a triumphal arch, the railway station made an impressive arrival story, which somewhat quirkily incorporated twenty-three female statues representing the stations and destinations accessed from it. “Often, the City of Light was a stopover before progressing to Le Mans to watch early car racing, traveling to research early aviation attempts, or simply heading south to Marseille to board a ship for Alexandria and Egypt.” Like many other stations and railroads at that time, James de Rothschild played a major role in financing its construction. A shrewd businessman, de Rothschild amassed a fortune that made him…

SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 89, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 89, FOR SPICY PROVENÇAL TOMATO SOUP.…

During World War II, the Louvre entrusted some of its most treasured works to Château de Valençay for safekeeping. But long before that, the halls of this legendary estate served as both a refuge for one of France’s most resilient diplomats and a repository for the luxurious collection of furniture and artwork that reflect the refined tastes and enduring capacity of the bon vivant. Strategically positioned in Central France, between Paris and more southern regions, the commanding stone façade and turreted towers of Château de Valençay rise amidst a majestic courtyard and well-manicured gardens full of ornate parterres, boxwood hedges, and burgeoning flower beds surrounded by ancient woodlands. Although a feudal domain occupied the land during medieval times, in 1451, the powerful d’Estampes family acquired the fiefdom and replaced the…

Halfway between Paris and Lyon, the small Burgundian village of Saulieu has served as a convenient resting place for weary voyagers since the early days of the Roman Empire. Though no longer along the main thoroughfare, travelers and gourmands from around the globe still venture to the picturesque hamlet in search of the region’s most illustrious auberge, Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, and the world-renowned cuisine for which its Michelin-starred restaurant, La Côte d’Or, is famed. Resting at the edge of the Morvan Regional Natural Park’s sparkling lakes and sharply scented pine forests, the celebrated retreat was acclaimed for its gastronomical offerings throughout the early decades of the twentieth century and attracted a glittering array of guests in the 1930s, including luminaries such as Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable, and Édith Piaf.…

Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to find more of the content you love. Take a closer look at some of our favorite May/June features: A Grand Estate Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the largest private residence in all of France, is a remarkable historic property known for its lavish interiors, magnificent gardens, and storied heritage. A Spoonful of Comfort Visit the Burgundy home of gourmand Shannon Grochowski to sample her family’s recipe for Spicy Provençal Tomato Soup—a dish that always delights. Coming Up Roses Perfect for entertaining during spring and summer, petal-perfect fare pleases the palate with its taste, appearance, and fragrance. Escape into a Dream The romantic environs of auberge Château Louise de La Vallière beckon guests to find repose in accommodations conceived with a spirit of…

“WOMEN NEED SOLITUDE IN ORDER TO FIND AGAIN THE TRUE ESSENCE OF THEMSELVES.”—Anne Morrow Lindbergh…

“THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE PLACE PROVIDES A SENSE OF WONDER.”—BERTRAND DEMENOIS Much like Goldilocks discovered a place of repose that seemed tailored especially for her, Bertrand and Laurence Demenois searched far and wide to locate the ideal estate—one that allowed them to indulge their passion for history and architecture as well as offering rooms large enough to accommodate a treasured art collection. When Château de Bouesse en Berry became available, they realized it perfectly suits their needs. “Despite leading a very active life as business leaders in Paris, we were very attached to this region,” Bertrand says of Berry, an area in the heart of France on the edge of the Creuse Valley. “My grandparents are from the village, and my grandfather was raised in the shop in front of…

In the mid-seventeenth century, Nicolas Fouquet aspired to build himself the finest house in the world. An ambitious young Frenchman, Fouquet rose to prominence after proving his loyalty to King Louis XIV during the turmoil of the Fronde. Alas, his fidelity was not long reciprocated and, in 1661, the king had the superintendent of finances arrested and ultimately imprisoned based on the slanderous scheming of a rival. Unfortunately, the drama of Fouquet’s rise and fall often overshadows the greatness of his vision and grace. A passionate patron of the arts, he left behind a true masterpiece in the form of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte in Maincy, near Melun. This remarkable estate—the largest private residence in France and an official historic monument—has endured for 350 years as a bastion of grand Gallic…

As dappled light glints beneath an age-old arbor of trees lining the bridle path of Château de Bouges, it’s easy to imagine Henry Viguier—a passionate equestrian and the estate’s last private owner—riding one of his well-dressed steeds down the trail. The lively cadence of hooves would have reverberated across vast parklands that evolved over centuries into a glorious blend of structured French elegance and pastoral English charm. Visitors are naturally drawn to the immaculate grounds and the stately architecture of the home, but behind the grandeur lies a remarkable story of generosity. Built between 1759 and 1773 to replace a medieval fortress, the Château de Bouges was constructed in a style reminiscent of Versailles’s Petit Trianon. The manor passed through various hands over the centuries and was sold to Henry…

SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 89, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

My bicycle was a worn-out, oversized secondhand Schwinn my grandfather refurbished and gave to me. Our local library was neither big nor beautiful, but I simply didn’t care. If I promised Mother I was going to the library, I had my freedom—freedom to ride into town all by myself. Before she could change her mind, I grabbed the books I’d already read and fled out the door, stuffing those volumes into my bike’s rear saddlebags. With my library card firmly tucked into my pants pocket, I mounted my Schwinn and pedaled as hard as I could. I sped down the street, my hair whipping back as I let my feet off the pedals of my bike and flew down the hill at a speed that rivaled a cheetah. When the…

As a married woman in a new state, I discovered just how daunting it is to pull off the warmth of holiday magic and wonderment while the realities of life bluster at your door like the winter wind. Admiration for my mother blossomed as I considered that not only during baking homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas, but throughout our annual Spring Tea with the prettiest porcelain tea cups, into the fun with sparklers after her Independence Day pretzel Jello salad, building the tallest pile of crispy red leaves in October, to the belly-bursting feast on Thanksgiving, my mother tirelessly cultivated beauty, love, and joy within our home. For that, I will forever admire her. HANNAH LEE Fullerton, California I was sixteen when I first heard Rev. Edith Wolfe preach. I…

In the court of the Sun King, there once emerged a beauty named Louise. Quickly catching His Majesty’s eye, she became Louis XIV’s first official mistress, and the one who loved him—not his crown—with a devoted and modest heart. On the stage of her youth, a sixteenth-century château where the young Louise de La Vallière roamed long ago, there is now a paradise for fellow romantics—a haven of hospitality for those who are enamored with the beauty of the French court in its golden age. The project of a lifetime for proprietor Mira Grebenstein, Château Louise de La Vallière sits as a reawakening of the Renaissance spirit and a window to the age of French royalty in all its splendor. Opening its doors to guests in 2022, the boutique hotel…

Plump grapes, heavy laden on the vine, lend their sweet perfume to a warm summer breeze whispering over the rolling hilltops of Burgundy. The land seems to hum with voices of the past, as remarkably preserved monuments attest to the lives of those who inhabited this idyllic region ages ago. Nestled in the commune of Vermenton, a Cistercian abbey, transformed into a boutique hotel, is a step back in time. While relaxing in tranquil surrounds, visitors may experience a rare glimpse into the goings-on of the hundreds of monks and lay brothers who once dwelled here. Founded in 1128, Abbaye de Reigny flourished as a sanctuary of worship and spiritual study throughout the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, as centuries of conflict arose—from the Hundred Years’ War to the French Revolution—the first…

When collecting fine china, one can typically discern a piece’s origin with a mere flick of the wrist—turning the object over to reveal a manufacturer’s mark on its bottom surface. In the case of Robert Haviland & C. Parlon, the seal found here has undergone several design evolutions over the decades as new members of the Haviland family and other important partners were brought into the fold. But despite these logistical changes, this renowned brand’s handcrafted porcelain patterns remain as enduringly beautiful as ever. Though the Haviland dynasty began in 1835, the company traces its founding to 1924, when Robert Haviland established his factory in Limoges, later partnering with Camille Parlon. Robert’s ancestors were already established in the porcelain industry, and in the 1940s, he took over their business from…