Peek inside Marie and Philippe Daâge's Loire Valley chateau full of ancestry and art
In the north-west of France's beautiful Loire Valley, a little off the beaten track of its famous Châteaux Route, lies a lesser-known treasure, Château de la Fontaine, the country home of Philippe and Marie Daâge.
Situated in La Petite Beauce, an area of rich farmland and picturesque villages, the magnificent mansion – complete with lake and private park – has been in Philippe's family since the early 19th century.
Within easy reach of Paris, this is where the couple love to spend weekends with their six grown-up children; that is, whenever their busy professional lives allow. Philippe is in finance, while Marie is an artist whose signature hand-painted Limoges porcelain is appreciated worldwide.
Of French-Austrian origin and raised in the West Indies, she studied at the École du Louvre before founding her own company in 1990. Two decades later, her work, which is often compared to haute couture, won her the Legion of Honour for her contribution to France’s heritage.
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Now, as she welcomes us alongside her husband and daughters Constance, Axelle and Isaure, Marie tells us why she finds this place so inspiring.
Marie, what can you tell us about this area?
"In medieval times, this was a border area between the cities of Blois, where the kings of France reigned, and Vendôme, controlled by England’s Plantagenet monarchs.
"There was a lot of fighting between the two places back then, and even today, there’s plenty of rivalry. So I have fun inviting friends from both to mingle over dinner."
How long has Château de la Fontaine been in your family?
"It was built in the 17th century, and Philippe's ancestor Jean-PhilibertDessaignes, director of Vendôme's college – where the writer Honoréde Balzac studied – bought it in1815.
Jean's son François-Philibert Dessaignes, a brilliant businessman, politician and philanthropist, completely remodelled and greatly extended it in the 1840s.
"However, the English-style park has changed very little over the years."
Have you made many changes here?
"We’ve done major structural work on the roof, walls and windows, respecting the old construction, half the bedrooms, upgraded living rooms and modernised bathrooms.
"Comfort and modernity had been introduced here rather brusquely at the beginning of the 20th century, with a lot of visible pipework, so a lot of effort went into camouflaging that.
"My husband set his imagination to work, coming up with a whole series of features such as cornices, porticoes, lintels, niches and columns to hide it.
"He showed such an ability to visualise in three dimensions that I think he could have been an architect."
What were you aiming for with your choice of decor?
"We’re trying to respect the spirit of the house, while giving each of the 17 rooms its own identity.
"We’ve used picture wallpapers for interest, and lots of fabrics, especially my favourite Charles Burger ones, to create a warm atmosphere.
"Then, of course, the whole place is full of my porcelain, with each piece customised to go with its setting."
How did you become an artist?
"The beauty of my surroundings has always had a strong impact on my mood. I think my mind is artistic; it’s part of my personality.
"Then there was my upbringing. With an Austrian mother and a French father, and living in the West Indies until I was 16, I was always surrounded by a rich mix of cultural influences.
"That said, it was only once I was married that I enrolled on a course in history of art at the École du Louvre. Before that, I had studied business in Dusseldorf and London, where I confess I spent most of my time in museums and galleries."
Where do you find inspiration?
"It’s something quite mysterious that can come from anywhere at any time. Something – perhaps a blade of grass, a piece of tree bark, a tapestry, a mosaic or a vintage wallpaper – will catch my attention.
"Colours are also very important to me: observing a colour is like listening to a musical note. They come together on porcelain to make a melody.
"A well-decorated table is like a whole symphony, and as with symphonies, each one you compose is unique.
"Here, I love to adorn my tables with flowers and plants from the garden."
Have any of your children inherited your creativity?
"Two of my daughters, Axelle and Isaure, have a deep artistic sensibility. They work alongside me, Axelle as the general manager of my company and Isaure looking after the beauty and quality of our products."
With such a passion for table art, your family must enjoy receiving guests...
"We all love it. A house like this is made for entertaining, and if people didn’t get together here, it would seem lifeless.
"We invite friends over for laid-back lunches and black-tie dinners. Since we have two dining rooms, I usually create a distinct ambiance.
"Then there are special events. Two of our daughters got married here. Every summer, one of our sons organises a private music festival for his friends, and more than 150 people sleep in tents in the park.
"Lately, thanks to the renovations we’ve made, the house has become more pleasant during the cold winter months. At Christmas and Easter, we host up to 30 relatives."
PRODUCTION AND TEXT: ANA FERNANDEZ DE CORDOBA & CRISTINA LORA ALARCON
PHOTOS: FERNANDA NAVARRO & PALOMA ROJAS-MARCOS (COUCHE STUDIO)
