If there's one category of historical property that we at Leyrit et Turpeau enjoy discovering and helping others to discover, it's Maisons de plaisance. Today, we invite you to discover the intimate side of this refined heritage.
Towards a definition:
The term maison de plaisance has no precise definition. It appeared in theoretical literature in the 16th century and was widely used. The maison de plaisance differs from the chateau in both literature and architecture. It is sometimes referred to as maison des champs, maison de folies or even maison de bastide. The definition of a castle is complex in itself, and the differences between the two are highly porous; however, a maison de plaisance serves a different purpose to that of a chateau and therefore has some unique features. The way it was used by its owners fully defines this country architecture, designed to be occupied during the summer months.
It was in 15th-century Italy that the first examples of architecture considered to be Modern Period maisons de plaisance appeared. The first models evolved throughout the Renaissance and spread to all the courts of Europe. In France, Chambord was called a maison de plaisance by its contemporaries, although its layout still had the characteristics of a defensive castle. Royal circles played such an active part in its development that the names of these buildings became blurred. Maisons de plaisance were called chateaux, while country estates were transformed into maisons de plaisance. Their uses changed, with large windows piercing through the rustic facades of older buildings, opening up thick defensive walls to lacy gardens. We can therefore define maisons de plaisance as buildings that are modest in size, no longer include any defensive elements, and whose compact layout occupies the heart of an entire estate. Their suburban location puts them half a day's transport from the city - five hours by horse-drawn carriage at most. Like the villas in Italy, Trianon in Versailles and, above all, the Château de Marly in France, their secondary purpose as a holiday retreat meant the architecture of these houses and their gardens was suited to entertainment and pleasure. It was a luxury that reinforced a social position or even gave concrete expression to a meteoric rise in status.
Simple but delicate architecture
The idea behind a maison de plaisance is simple: to reproduce on a smaller scale, and not without a certain lightness, the art of living in the princely houses of the royal court’s close circle, in their favourite holiday spots. Underlying the common features is a rich diversity of buildings throughout the kingdom. In the second half of the 17th century, the area around Paris saw the emergence of models that would inspire architects right up until the eve of the French Revolution. This is particularly true of the 'chateau' at Issy, designed by architect Pierre Bullet and built around 1686. Its massed plan develops a concentrated, almost square architecture inspired by the late Renaissance villas of architect Andrea Palladio in the Venetian hinterland. The success of Chateau d'Issy lies in its perfect integration of the Palladian model with the classical language of the French architecture of the Grand-Siecle, as desired by its patron. The Italian flat roof became a Mansard-style roof and the vestibule in the centre of the house was preferred to the loggia, which was no doubt considered to be unsuitable for the harsh French climate. Finally, the Italian three-sequence design, doubled in depth, was a major inspiration for Bullet. In more general terms, the house occupies a central position - the focal point of the paths and the network which structure the estate in its entirety. It is the raison d'être for its surroundings: the French garden and sweeping views highlight the architecture of the site. Preceded by a courtyard of honour with a wrought iron gate and railings, the house features symmetrical facades that are treated differently depending on their orientation. On arrival, the courtyard façade is the most imposing: it asserts the power and rank of the master of the house. It is punctuated by bays and quoins, and its main ornamentation consists of a central avant-corps topped by a pediment. The garden façade is lighter, often without a pediment., and the harmony that emerges lies in the balanced repetition of the bays.
Domestic services, particularly cooking, are moved to the nearest common areas. The layout of these outbuildings reinforces overall balance and simplicity while enhancing the architecture of the house. The pantry serves as a relay to the kitchen, which remains in the courtyard. The chapel can either be part of the suite of rooms on the ground floor, or a separate building, more or less close to the house - it all depends. This means that the reception rooms and flats, free of any easements, take up most of the available space in the grand residence. Outside, the orangery, nymphaeum and factories complete the comparison with the great princely estates on a human scale.
