Chateau de Cormatin – LITERARY GARDEN

Usually, the French word chateau is translated “castle”. In the English language, a castle is – by definition – castellated. It is a building with defenses, designed to hold the enemy at bay and provide a base for offensive maneuvers. It is often surrounded by a moat or other impediment (like deep trenches or blockades), has a fortified entry (like a drawbridge), and is built to withstand attacks from siege engines, cavalry, foot soldiers, and anything else the enemy might fling in its general direction. It is a military installation. In French, a chateau is not necessarily a defensive structure. It can be, but often it is simply (or ornately) a statement of power – economic, social, and political. What we might characterize as a mansion is a chateau. (Notice the relationship between the French maison and the English mansion.) A chateau is a big house that announces the power of its owner. Some are intimidating by their sheer size. Others manage to seem quite homey in a rectangular sort of way, and are clearly designed for pleasure.

Chateau de Cormatin dates from 1606, and has quite literally been under construction, renovation, or restoration ever since. In 1605, Henry IV granted the land to Antoine de Bles d’Uxelles and named him military governor of Chalon. This gift of both the land and the position was the result of de Bles’ role in the Wars of Religion (between the Catholics and Protestants, which nominally ended with the Edict of Nantes). The chateau was modeled on the Citadel of Chalon and some of the architectural features of the chateau are reminders of de Bles’s military standing and the power he exerted in the region. There are, for example, the moat and the turrets.

Bedroom fit for the heir. Note the “high chair” , the abundance of reds, blues, and golds, and the ornate tapestries depicting the hunt. This is a room designed to instill the occupant with a sense of his own dominance in the world of man and nature.

In 1627, Jaques du Bles (son of Antoine de Bles) began redecorating the chateau in the style favored by Marie de Medici, who was a friend and correspondent. Much of the lavish gilt-work and decoration dates from that time (and has been in some cases carefully restored). The interior of the chateau is a series of reminders of the importance of the occupants and of the virtues that they should uphold (modesty and forbearance do not appear to have been among them). The decorations, the colors, the size and orientation of rooms – all of it was designed to remind the inhabitants and their guests of their status.

Looking up the vaulted stairwell, a column of light that soars from the entry. It is a stage for the entry of the major players, while the guests wait below, seeking audience.

On February 4-5, 1629, du Bles was host to King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu, which led to another flurry of redecorating, both before and after the event.

The colors of the Royal Coat of Arms of France and Navarre feature blue, red, and gold. Throughout the Chateau de Cormatin, the colors appear in public spaces and in those spaces used by the men of power. This is a constant reminder of the authority by which the du Bles held power – that of the King of France.

In 1730, the last member of the du Bles died. By 1810, the chateau had exchanged hands several times and was in a state of disrepair. However, it is still occupied, and the the French poet and activist Alphonse de Lamartine visits regularly. He would give his final political speech on the front steps of Chateau de Cormatin.

At the end of the 19th Century, Cormatin became a center for the arts, hosting Enrico Caruso, among other great operatic singers. Raoul Gunsbourg, the director of the Monte Carlo Opera for more than 50 years, purchased the property and every year an opera and concert was performed. on the grounds. My great aunt, Dame Clara Butt, a well-known English contralto of the period, performed at Cormatin, I believe. Saint- Saens wrote a song cycle for her, and she traveled to France (and throughout Europe) to perform with regularity. Queen Victoria was her patron, and she studied first in England and later in Paris. She was honored at the end of the Great War for her service and courage, particularly the entertainment of troopers near the Front Line, hence her title. I have a cameo that she owned. I would like to think that she wore it at Cormatin.

Finally, in 1980, the property was purchased by a group of people with the idea of restoring and preserving the property. By this time, much of the structure was compromised and the grounds were swampy and overgrown. Through volunteer work and the careful restoration of experts, Chateau de Cormatin is once again a symbol of the fortitude and pride of the people who built it and lived in it.

Views of the gardens, including the Orangerie and the moat surrounding the Chateau.