The elegant chteaux, luxurious estates, and stately private residences built in France over the past several centuries are spectacularly presented in this landmark volume. These dignified houses are remarkable not only for their beauty, but also for the rich history that has imbued their walls for centuries. Often built over long periods of time, expanded and redecorated according to the taste of the period, scarred by revolution and war, and restored magnificently by some of the best-known architects, interior decorators, and artists of their epochs, these great houses are tangible records of France's glorious past-- and present. More than twenty-five of the most enchanting properties are captured in all their glory. The reader is taken on a photographic tour through the regions of France, with visits to the chteaux in the Loire, Brittany, Burgundy, and Provence, among others. The thresholds of a number of the most private grand houses in and around Paris, the world capital of fashion and dÉcor, are also crossed. Accompanying the magnificent photographs is text describing the fascinating history of each locale. The diverse architecture, incredible interiors, priceless furniture, painting, and sculpture collections, and fabulous, inventive designs for gardens and the surrounding landscape are focused on in this astounding and complete view of a particularly intriguing way of life that is difficult to conceive of as existing in the late twentieth century. Some of the most famous and beloved houses of the French nation, as well as some of the most private and difficult to visit, are illustrated. This is a book that celebrates the legendary and often-mimicked French life-style at its pinnacle.