Chateaux & Castles - Fall 2018 (Premier Issue)

THE EXCLUSIVE PREMIER ISSUE

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volume 1 • issue 1

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EXQUISITE GARDENS ISOLA BELLA, ITALY

UK’S BOVEY CASTLE SWITZERLAND’S GRUYERES CASTLE

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Fall 2018 Volume 1 • Issue 1 editorial Editor & Publisher Nicolette Johnston Contributors: Fred W. Wright Jr. • Peter Friend Owner of La Villa de Mazamet

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contents

features

Ladies of the Petite & Grand Trianon 12 UK's Bovey Castle 22 Exquisite Gardens of Isola Bella 34 A Culinary Institution Les Grands Buffets 46 The Village of Gruyères 56

in every issue Where Am I? 8 Art History 10 Royal Reign 12 Exquisite Gardens 34

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CHATEAUX & CASTLES QUARTERLY is published quarterly by Colette Publications, 675 Fairview Dr., Suite 201, Carson City, NV 89801. The cover and contents of CHATEAUX & CASTLES QUARTERLY are fully protected by copyright and cannot be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission. All rights reserved in all countries. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: For the United States, $29.99 per year, 4 issues; add $10 for postage in Canada; add $20 elsewhere. Single issues $9.99, available at select newsstands and bookstores.

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LETTER from THE

Editor

Volume 1 • Issue 1

AN INTRODUCTION

W

elcome to Chateaux & Castles Quarterly! I imagine since you picked up this magazine you may share a similar passion. For those who enjoy castles, French chateaux, luxe gardens, history, travel and art then you will enjoy our new magazine. We can’t wait to take you on tours of the ancient past as we discover the history behind beauitful architectural phenonmenona. We are so excited about this new journey at Colette Publications!

During my senior year of college at the University of Oregon, I choose photojournalism over golf as an elective before I graduated with a degree in magazine journalism. Choosing photography led me down a path always yearning for travel, capturing unique shots and wanting to share it with the world. During those travels a hunger to learn about Europe’s past developed...a passion to know the history of Kings and Queens and the tales behind their walls of wealth constructed centuries ago.

With a background in blogging from 2009-2013 at a humble little blog called Simply Colette, I shared my photos, travels and other adventures. I was awarded a press trip to London during the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, sponsored by HomeAway Vacation Rentals. In 2013, I designed a second blog called, Bread & Rest (about B&Bs, Inns, Lodges & Chateaux). Although, this was on the tail end of my blogging days, that blog was never far from my mind.

In 2017, I raced to finish my first book, Running Away to Europe. I hit the “Publish” button on Amazon’s KDP an hour prior to my grandmother taking her last breath. She lost a quick battle to lung cancer. I knew I had a limited amount of time to accomplish the goal I had set about six years prior. Although, I knew she would never get to read my book, I showed her my manuscript a month before her passing.

As I sat in the pew of Griffin’s Chapel in Bradford, Tennessee at her funeral gazing down at my black heels through blurry tears, the pastor startled me, “Dorothy’s family loved to tease her when she would jumble her words, for instance everytime she said ‘Bread & Rest’ referencing how her granddaughter has always wanted to own a bed and breakfast”. I looked up and laughed though embarrassed thinking the whole church was looking at my blotchy red cheeks and mascara streaks. It felt like an intimate secret had been announced in church, as if my dreams and personal family nicknames were exposed; but yet a message from her through the mouth of the pastor all within that one sentence telling me how proud she was, that it was ok to still have dreams, and giving her blessing to follow my heart.

During my last conversation with her, I debated whether or not if I should tell her I had given twoweeks notice at what everyone told me was a great job, but was inwardly killing my soul. I wanted to tell her I was going to do whatever it takes to be happy in my career. I knew I wanted to start my own business, but I wasn’t quite sure yet what exactly my heart was trying to tell me. I didn’t want her to worry, so I chose not to say anything. But I vowed not to spend another decade at a desk under flourescent lights wasting my talents or sacrificing the years of my life for someone or something I wasn’t passionate about. Her death showed me life is too short not to be true to myself, that I needed to take the leap.

Nine months after her funeral I was growing frustrated that things weren’t falling in place. I was about to give up and go back to a desk job for half the salary I had a year prior. ‘Bread & Rest, Bread & Rest’ I kept thinking to myself with the pastor’s words echoing in my head. My grandmother had been trying to tell me all along to remember who I am. I remembered my biggest investment in myself, my degree and the reason why I choose that path to begin with. Exploring, learning and sharing the beauty of our world is my calling. In May 2018, I developed Colette Publications which publishes Bed & Breakfast Magazine and Chateaux & Castles Quarterly.

Sincerely,

Nicolette Johnston

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contributors Fred W. Wright Jr. is a writer and editor based in the Tampa/St. Petersburg,

Florida., metro market. He has published hundreds of articles, with travel representing about 85 percent of sales. Fred has traveled extensively in the U.K., Western Europe and various other points on the globe. He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). He also teaches motion picture writing (his favorite genre) for a local college. More at www.FredWright.net.

Peter Friend - Originally from Cornwall, England; Peter Friend has lived in the

south of France since 2009 where, along with his partner, run the award-winning luxury B&B, La Villa de Mazamet. Peter studied for his Masters in the USA and spent time living in Chicago, the Middle East and England before making the move to France. When not running La Villa, Peter enjoys traveling in Europe, SE Asia & Australia.

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Volume 1 • Issue 1

Where am I?

In the

Heart

of

Dordogne, France

...there is a magnificant view below. But you must be standing from the top of this castle to catch a glimpse. Where am I? Submit your guess to editorial@colettepublications or enter on our social media pages. Correct answers will be submitted in a drawing to win a free one-year subscription! We will share the answer in our next issue.

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art history

“Insert amazing pull quote here”

I

talian painter, Salavatore Postiglione painted with a Realist style. Originally from Naples, Italy he lived from December 20, 1861 – November 28, 1906. He grew up in a family of painters. His father Luigi Postiglione, his brother also named Luigi, his nephew Luca, and his uncle Raffaele were also painters. His father Luigi painted sacred subjects.

Salvatore studied underneath his uncle Raffaele, as well as Domenico Morelli at the Neapolitan Institute of Fine Arts. Morelli’s style was a strong influence on Salvatore, as he tended to favor similar mystical and morbid spiritual religious subject matter. However, he also painted youthful biblical paintings which are displayed at the Institute of Fine Arts. He frescoed the halls of Borsa of Naples and Miramare Castle in Trieste, Italy; which is a method to quickly 10

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s a lvat o r e p o s t i g l i o n e

left: “Scene of the Narration of the Decameron” - Dated 1892. Above: “cherry Time” - date unknown.

paint with water colors on wet plaster in order for the color to dry at the same time as the plaster.

In the painting above, Postigliano captured 14th century Italian writer, Giovanni Boccaccio entertaining from his tales of love, wit, jokes, and life lessons as depicted in his book, The Decameron.

The book contains 100 stories ranging from erotic to tragic that are told by seven young women and three young men who are sheltered in a secluded villa outside of Florence to escape The Black Death.

below: Salvatore postiglione frescoed the halls of Miramare Castle near Trieste in Northeastern Italy. photo: wikipedia creative commons. author: valleo61

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royal reign

Ladies of the Grand & Petit Trianon If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then what is to be said about private palaces in the French countryside mere acres away from Versailles with gardens abound for mistresses of French Kings?

The Grand Trianon

Portriat of King Louis XIV, painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud on display at the louvre museum. In 1701 Louis XIV commissioned a copy of the portrait, that portrait is on display in the Apollo Salon of the Château de Versailles’ Grand Apartment.

K

ing Louis XIV of France purchased Trianon, a hamlet on the outskirts of Versailles in 1668. Two years later, he commissioned architect, Louis Le Vau, to design a porcelain tiled pavilion. The Trianon de Porcelaine was completed in 1672 to serve as a retreat for him and his chief mistress, the Marquise de Montespan.

The “reign” of Madame de Montespan began in 1667 when she wiggled her way into seducing the King, even though she was a married woman at the time, as was the King to Queen Marie-Thérèse. The King’s current mistress, Louise de La Vallière, laughed at Montespan’s efforts. However, Montespan prevailed when she dropped her towel for the King.

Louise then played second fiddle to the King, as he placed the two mistresses in connecting rooms so he had access to both ladies. Louise later joined a convent, embarrassed that she had been replaced by a much younger woman.

Montespan officially separated from her husband, Louis Henri de Pardaillan de Gondrin, the Marquis of Montespan in 1674. However, this did not stop her from having seven illegitimate children with the King with their first child born in 1669.

As a new widow, Madame Scarron was about to leave for Lisbon as a lady-in-waiting to the new Queen of Portugal, Marie-Françoise de Nemours, but she met Madame de Montespan and Montespan took such a liking to her that she had the King reinstate her pension enabling her to stay in Paris. Madame Scarron become the caretaker for Madame de Montespan’s first child with King Louis XIV, giving her a large income and staff of servants. She later became a royal governess. As a governess, she was one of the few people allowed to converse with the King as an equal. The King was charmed by her ability to speak without holding back, though he didn’t much care for her at first. However, he was beginning to tire of Madame de Montespan’s temper and found Madame Scarron increasingly favorable.

After refusing a few attempts to make her his mistress, and telling him to pay attention to his neglected wife the Queen, Madame Scarron later gave in to his persistence. Queen Marie-Thérèse tolerated her husband’s infidelity, and she even responded warmly to Madame Scarron when her husband gave the her the title of Madame de Maintenon; especially after Madame de Montespan would openly disrespect the Queen’s position at court. By the late 1670’s, King

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Portrait of Marie Angélique de Scorailles, duchess of Fontanges (July 1661 – 28 June 1681) a French noblewoman and one of the many mistresses of Louis XIV.

Portrait painting of Françoise de Rochechouart (Madame de Montespan) by an unknown artist (at the Musée national du Château de Versailles).

Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise of Montespan (5 October 1640 – 27 May 1707), was the most celebrated maîtresse-en-titre of King Louis XIV of France,

Portrait painting of Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon (27 November 1635 – 15 April 1719) was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. artist unknown.

Louise XIV spent most of his time conversing with Madame de Maintenon about politics, religion, and economics.

Years later, the King once again turned his attention to a much younger woman, Marie Angelique de Scorailles.

Madame de Montespan was very jealous of her and was accused of poisoning her milk, after it had been rumored that Montespan was involved in the Affaire des Poisons scandal.

Marie made the Sun King feel youthful. He began to wear diamonds, feathers, and showed her affection by wearing matching colored ribbons. At mass, she began to act like she was Queen by wearing a matching azure cloak made from the same material as the King. He presented her with 100,000 ecus a month and had her coach led by eight horses. One day, during a hunt in the forest of Fountainebleu, Marie’s hair was loosely tied in a ribbon and got caught in a branch causing curls to fall around her shoulders. The king favored this tousled look and the courtiers copied this hairstyle the next day, all except Madame de Montespan who found it to be in “bad taste”.

As the rivalry grew between the two mistresses, Montespan went so far as accidentally letting her tamed bears out of the small menagerie King Louis had given her on the palace grounds. Two bears destroyed Marie’s apartment, thereby making both women a mockery at court.

Marie soon became pregnant, which angered and threatened Madame de Montespan who ironically thought the king could never be serious about her. But in 1680, Marie delivered a premature stillborn baby boy. The King gave her the title “Duchess of Fontanges” and a pension, but by this time his infatuation with her was slowly waning, though it was rumored his interest may have diminished because she was now “wounded in service”. She fell ill from serious blood loss, then retired to Abbey of Chelles and never appeared at court again. She died in 1681, a month before turning 20-years-old.

The King asked that no autopsy be performed on her (possibly to protect Madame de Montespan if the scandal of poisoning proved true). However, an autopsy was done at the request of her family. Her lungs were found to be in bad condition, with the right lung filled with “purulent matter” and her chest filled with fluid. It was not determined if this was a result of poisoning though.

After her death, some doctors said the Duchess aborted her child and claimed she was guilty of infanticide, although many historians don’t believe that would be the case, because more than likely she would have wanted to secure her place at court by giving the King additional children.

The portraits above and the next two pages (as well as the paintings on pg 10 & 11) are courtesy of Wikipedia Commons for the public domain and education in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70-100 years.

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Portrait of King Louis XVI, painted by Joseph Duplessis circa 1776-1778, formerly attributed to antoine-francois Callat. located in the bedroom of petite apartment de la reine.

above: tile passageway of the grand trianon. bottom right: buffet d’eau fountain in the grand trianon gardens one mile from the palace of versailles.

Š nicolette johnston

left: Portrait of marie antoinette at age 13 by joseph ducreux in 1769 - a small portrait was sent to the dauphin to show him what his future bride looked like. right: portrait of marie antoinette by jean-baptiste andre gautier-dagoty in 1775 located at the palace of versailles.

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Volume 1 • Issue 1

Portrait of King Louis XV, painted by maurice de la tour in 1748.

Portrait of madame du pompadour by francois boucher in 1756.

Portrait of madame du barry by francois hubert-drouais in 1770.

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Later, in the early 20th century it was said Marie may have died by pleuropneumonia induced by tuberculosis.

Another doctor seemed to think she ultimately died from her miscarriage; either by a fragment of placenta getting caught in her uterus, or a rare form of cancer from a cyst that could have developed after the placenta was expelled.

In the early 1680s, after the death of Marie, Madame de Montespan soon left the court. Queen, Marie-ThÊrèse noticed the good influence Madame de Maintenon had on the King, because the Queen said she had never been treated so good, seeing as Madame de Montespan had always treated her rudely. Queen Marie-Therese died in July 1683, and the King privately married Madame de Maintenon a few months after. The marriage was considered morganatic because of 16

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The grand trianon

below: a flower from the gardens of the grand trianon. above, below & pg 18-19 photos: nicolette johnston

Volume 1 • Issue 1

their varying social ranks, and there are no formal records of the marriage.

By 1687, the fragile porcelain tiles of the Trianon de Porcelaine had deteriorated so badly, that the King ordered a demolition of the pavilion. Architect, Jules Hardouin Mansart, doubled the size of the pavilion with his redesign using a red marble from Languedoc.

In 1688, it was inaugurated as the Grand Trianon by Louis XIV alongside his new wife, Madame de Maintenon.

The Petite Trianon

N

early a century later, a much smaller chateau was built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of Louis XV. Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, near the botanical garden within the grounds of the Grand Trianon. The Petite Trianon was constructed for King Louis XV’s long-term mistress, Madame de Pompadour, though she died only four years after it was completed. It was then occupied by her successor, Madame du Barry.

Upon succession to the throne in 1774, at just 20-years-old, King Louis XVI, gave the chateau and its park to his 19-year-old Queen Marie Antoinette.

Wanting to escape the burden, pressures, and judgements of family and the court, Petite Trianon was Marie Antoinette's place of leisure where she could rest. No one was permitted to enter the property without the young Queen’s permission, even her husband the King. It was a place where she could alienate herself from the court, and where she only invited those from her innermost circle.

Designed for intimacy and pleasure, a table was raised and lowered in the “salles a manger” so servants could set the table sight unseen.

Her bedroom had mirror panels that could be raised or lower by turning a crank to obscure windows and reflect candlelight.

On October 5, 1789, as Marie Antoinette was outside in her gardens, a page brought news of the arrival of an armed crowd from Paris.

The next day, the royal family was forced to depart. Gardeners and other staff continued to live at the Petite Trianon. In July 1792, with the monarchy overthrown, furniture, art, and other collectibles were given to auction and widely scattered about. The Petite Trianon was later refurbished by Napolean.

The petite trianon

Photos courtesy of: wikipedia creative commons. above: colocho left: starus

Marie Antoinette's

Built in 1783 for Marie Antoinette near the Petit Trianon, the Hameau de la Reine was designed by Richard Mique, the Queen’s favorite architect. The Hameau was inspired by Prince of Conde’s Hameau de Chantilly. It consisted of a meadowland with lakes, streams, a Temple of Love on an island, an octagonal belvedere, grotto and cascade. Rustic buildings were built in a vernacular style inspired by Norman or Flemish design alongside a pond and mill wheel. One of the main purposes for the design of the Hameau was to create more of a rural countryside atmosphere near the Petit Trianon.

The farm was created to provide milk and eggs for the Queen. It had a dairy, dovecote, boudoir and a barn which burned in the French Revolution. It was often called the Swiss Hamlet, because many animals came from Switzerland. The Queen and her children would wear peasantry-style clothing to stroll around the farm where she enjoyed pretending to live a simpler life, although many took it as a form of mockery. It was also rumored that she met her lovers at the Hameau.

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Hameau de la Reine

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LUXURY B&B IN THE HEART OF SOUTHWEST FRANCE

Come and stay at La Villa de Mazamet, France’s leading luxury bed & breakfast, located in the heart of SW France. e Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice winner for 8 years in a row…

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Great britain’s

Bovey Castle

Written by: fred w. wright jr. photography: courtesy of bovey castle

I

t sits, gray against the skyline, like a sentinel on the wind-whipped moors. Bovey Castle has stood the test of time and tourists with style, awaiting guests to Dartmoor, in Devon, England, with all its local history and culture.

Two massive wooden doors open to a Great Hall where a fire seems always ready to warm visitors night or day.

The land, 5,000 acres, was purchased in 1880 by William Henry Smith (who would later become the Viscount Hambleden) from the Earl of Devon. The estate consisted then of several large, ancient manors, almost 30 farms, and extensive woodlands along with fishing rights for Rivers Bovey and Teigh. His son, Frederick, built a lavish Manor House in neo-Elizabethan style as one of the family’s numerous country retreats.

Frederick became more involved in the Devon life and became an officer in the Devonshire Yeomanry, leading the regiment in Gallipoli and Egypt during World War I. During the war, the Manor became a convalescent home for officers and a military hospital.

Bovey Castle was designed in the spirit of the early 20th century Arts and Crafts Movement where the emphasis was on traditional craftsmanship using simple forms. Architect Detmar Jellings Blow looked to use medieval, romantic or folk styles of decoration.

The main building was constricted with a Jacobean-style staircase, plaster ceilings, an oakpaneled dining room, and an open fireplace with a carved stone chimney. More decorative extensions were built in the 1930s. A floor was added in the 1930s when the Manor and golf course opened to the public. For the next several decades, the property changed hands and underwent expansion and renovation under various owners. In 2003, the Manor House became Bovey Castle.

The result is a sturdy form with a garden terrace that looks out onto a lake and River Bovey, ideal for reflection and afternoon tea on sunny days.

Today, Bovey Castle sits on 275 acres of the Dartmoor National Park, a sweeping expanse of rocky tors, ancient rock formations, and wild 24

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ponies. Today’s 5-star, luxury-focused Bovey Castle has 60 freshly renovated bedrooms and 22 lodges along with the requisite fine dining restaurant, bar, spa, and more outdoor options than some theme parks.

Current owners renovated and renamed the fine dining restaurant. Now, the Great Western Restaurant features an award-winning menu. In addition to locally-accessed meats and vegetables, the restaurant’s head chef has

created unique items like the 9th Hole Chocolate Tree Stump – a blend of lime, cardamom and milk chocolate.

The Castle Bistro has been reshaped into Smith’s Brasserie, in honor of the first entrepreneurial owner, W. H. Smith, and features a fire pit in the center and an open kitchen.

The hotel’s spa boasts an indoor Art Deco pool overlooking the sun terrace and the River Bovey, a

“The restaurant’s head chef has created unique items like the 9th Hole Chocolate Tree Stump a blend of lime, cardamom and milk chocolate.”

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top left: the adam room. top & bottom right: guests can sleep like a king or queen and enjoy peaceful views in one of the castle’s 60 guest rooms. bottom left: guests can relax by the fire in the library. pages 28-29: Smith's brasserie.

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Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. There are six massage and treatment rooms.

As a dog-friendly hotel, dogs are allowed in most of the common areas and guest rooms. Being located in the middle of a vast national park, there are many places to walk a dog. The hotel offers a Dog Walking Guide with a variety of mapped routes for exploring. Many nearby pubs also welcome canines.

Activities here are myriad, mostly options taking place in the great outdoors. In addition to the hotel’s 18-hole golf course (designed by John Frederick Abercromby in 1926), guests can hike, fish, take offroad drives, shoot clay pigeons, and learn to make their own cider or sloe gin. One of the newest options is “crolf,” a game that combines golf and croquet.

Without fail, despite even inclement weather, the moors should be explored with one of the staff guides or a park ranger. The natural, unspoiled landscape is dramatic and challenging. Dartmoor National Park is considered one of the most historic landscapes in Western Europe, with remnants of stone monuments dating back to the Bronze Age. In addition, a park ranger may offer to show a visitor an invisible underground line of energy. He hands the visitor a small, two-pronged divining rod to identify a “ley line.” When the rod inexplicably dips as the visitor walks, the rangers just smile and say they can’t explain it either.

The moors have inspired mystery writers over the decades, from Arthur Conan Doyle to Agatha Christie. They have also been the site for numerous films, including Steven Spielberg’s War Horse (2011). After spending more than two weeks filming in and around Dartmoor, Spielberg stated, “I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor.”

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Devon U

sing Bovey Castle as a home base, exploration of the surrounding comminutes offers a wide choice of distractions – from vineyards to the historic Exeter Cathedral, built in 1050. In a very eccentric local custom whose roots have long been lost in antiquity, pubs in the small town of Ottery St. Mary set barrels of tar on fire for several weeks prior to Nov. 5. Once all the pub tar barrels are aflame, they are carried through the streets and alleys to cheering crowds. As fans of Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles will know, this is Sherlock Homes country. While staying at the Ducky Hotel in Princetown (now the National Park Visitor Center) Doyle began working on his famous short story. Doyle wrote of Dartmoor and this part of southwest England as “...dotted with the dwellings of prehistoric man, strange monoliths and huts and graves.”

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“Guests can hike, fish, take off-road drives, shoot clay pigeons, and learn to make their own cider or sloe gin.”

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Exquisite Gardens of

Isola Bella written & photographed by: Nicolette Johnston

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he gray sky posed as a dramatic background on Lake Maggiore as our Italian guide boat pulled off the dock in Stresa to slowly cruise past Malgora, a tiny 200 square meter island, then pulled up to one of the most dramatically picturesque islands in all of Italy, known as Isola Bella. After a morning tour inside the palace to witness the ornate shell grottoes and painting collection, followed by a brief down pour at lunch while taking shelter in the cafe, the clouds later opened up and the warm sun emerged to transform what had been a cool September morning into a gorgeous afternoon. The shift in weather on a fall day, allowed an impressive photographic tour of the breathtaking gardens.

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equisite gardens

AROMA REALE EAU DU PARFUM FROM ISOLE BORROMEE CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE AT: SHOP.ISOLEBORROMEO.IT

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One of the first recorded writings of Isola Bella comes from English diarist, Bishop Gilbert Burnet, who visited the island in 1685 and wrote that it was “one of the loveliest spots of ground in the World”.

Each year thousands of visitors come to the beautiful island of Isola Bella, to enjoy the majestic gardens and palace. An island that was once just a rocky crag belonging to a fishing village until 1632, when it was purchased by the Borromeo family, and has stayed within the family of Italian bankers ever since.

“Each year thousands of visitors come to the beautiful island of Isola Bella to enjoy the majestic gardens and palace.”

Carlo Borromeo III ordered construction and contracted Angelo Crivelli to develop the creation of their palace and paradise. The island was named after Isabella D’Adda, countess Borromeo. However, plans came to a lull in the middle of the century as the Duchy of Milan was struck by the plague.

Once the island was passed down to Carlo’s sons, Cardinal Giberto III and Vitaliano VI Borromeo, construction then continued. Milanese architect Carlo Fontana completed the villa turning it into a place for European nobility to gather and celebrate.

The gardens were later completed by nephew Carol IV and inaugurated in 1671.

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Over a century later, after the French victory at the battle of Morengo, concerts and banquets were held in the garden in 1797 to honor Napolean and his first wife Josephine de Beauharnais. It is also said that Caroline of Brunswick, the Princess of Wales fell in love with Isola Bella and tried to convince the Borromeo family to sell Isola Madre or the Castell di Cannero island to her, but the family turned down her offer. She later established herself on the banks of Lake Como at Cernobbio in the Villa d’Este.

Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, French Prime Minister Pierre Laval, and British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald High gathered at Isola Bella to hold a conference in the beautiful Palazzo Borromeo, where it was decided on April 14, 1935 to reaffirm the Locarno Treaties and proclaim that Austria’s example of independence would be their goal to resist any future attempts by the Germans to change the Treaty of Versailles. This was known as the Stresa Front agreement.

However, this agreement began to break down just two months after it was signed.

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Many of the original plans for the gardens were not completed until recent years. Those visiting the picturesque 17th century Baroque gardens will discover a 200-year-old camphor (cinnamomum camphora) tree.

There are many exotic variants of flora and fauna, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias magnolias, lemon and orange trees, pomegranates, lilies of the valley, creeping figs and much more. Visitors will discover white peafowl leisurely roaming the courtyards outside.

At the top of the water theatre, a statue of a unicorn lunges on its hind legs at one of the highest points of the gardens as a symbol of the Borromeo family. The Courtyard of Diana is named after the goddess statue which stands in the center of the courtyard. On the south side of the island, there are formal parterres garden allowing a beautiful cliff edge view of Lake Maggiore and the town of Stresa. There are six subterranean grottoes which are crafted out of pebbles, shells and stucco. One of two beautifully constructed pavilions hides a large water pump which brings water in from the lake to use for the fountains on the island.

BORROMEAN ISLANDS Aside from Isola Bella, the Borromean Islands consist of Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isolino di San Giovanni in the Italian part of Lake Maggiore. The fifth and tiniest island is Malghera, which only measures only 200 square meters and lies between Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori. It offers bushy vegetation and a small beach.

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WHITE PEAFOWL White peafowl are forest birds that nest on the ground, but roost in trees. Their lifespan can be 40-50 years. They are commonly mistaken for or referred to as an albino peacock; however, the term peacock is properly reserved for the male.

The female is known as a peahen and babies are sometimes called peachicks. But the term peafowl is used for all; and although albino peafowls do exist, they are quite rare.

White peafowl have a condition called leucism, which causes an overall reduction in different types of pigment. This can result in the complete lack of coloration of their plumage, while preserving their normal eye colour (many have a deep blue eye color). True albino peafowl have a complete lack of melanin, resulting in the albino’s characteristic red or pink eyes. Leucistic peachicks are actually born yellow and turn white as they mature.

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A CULINARY INSTITUTION Les Grands Buffets WRITTEN BY: PETER FRIEND PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: LES GRANDE BUFFETS

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®

A

s the most visited country on the planet, France has long attracted tourists who flock to visit its iconic cities & institutions; take wonder at its stunning natural scenery & diversity of landscape and are in awe at its Roman & medieval history that has left its mark on both the built environment & culture.

France, too, is known the all over the world for its food; where every town and city offers its own delicacy, produces its own cheese and has recipes passed down through the generations that have led to its identity.

Historically, food was at the heart of most French communities and the local bistro was a focal point where French classic dishes from bœuf bourguignon to Blanquette du veau, baba au rhum to île flottante were served. As classic as the dishes themselves, was the buffet style of service ‘en famille’ where large stainless steel (sometimes silver) chafing dishes were lined up at the back of the bistro, allowing the wonderful aromas of each to escape as the lid was raised.

With the emergence of a more diverse culinary offering and, to a lesser extent, the impact of fast food, many of these local bistros have disappeared and, with them, some of these much-loved dishes, local recipes & a style

of service that was as typically French as the two-hour lunch break during which they were enjoyed.

In 1989, visionary restaurant owner Louis Privat, opened Les Grands Buffets as a “window into the world of French cuisine” – he lamented the demise of the local bistro and his passion was to restore this, not town by town, but in one venue in the southern French city of Narbonne, his home. On a typically bright & sunny late-November day, my partner & I were privileged to join Monsieur Privat for lunch and discover his passion for what he created, nurtured and still clearly loves, more than 25 years on.

In simple terms, Les Grands Buffets is fine dining meets a large hotel buffet – but this does not do it justice, it does not even come close in describing the experience. For one price of 35.90€ 17.90€ for 6-10 year-olds and free for children age five and younger) diners are treated to a vast choice of foods which, in the main, originate or are produced in the region around Narbonne, the newly named Occitanie (the 2016 merger of the Midi-Pyrénées & Languedoc Roussillon).

On arrival, you are greeted warmly, and Chateaux & Castles 47

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“If fromage is for you, you may never want to leave this section! There are 1,000 different cheeses, (making it the largest selection in any French restaurant) from every region in France...” genuinely, by a member of staff and personally escorted to your table, which is yours for the duration of either the lunch or dinner service, so you do not feel rushed.

Here the elements of fine dining shine through with crisp white linen tablecloths & napkins, polished silverware & glassware and you will be seated (as per your choice when reserving) in one of three great dining areas; one outside during warmer months is a stunning, almost tropical feeling, garden terrace and two inside, including a dining room more suited to families.

Aside from selecting from an extensive wine list, you don’t have to worry about deciding on which dish to choose as everything is included and the feast that is about to hit the senses, truly does need to be seen to be believed.

The ‘buffet’ itself is beautifully displayed in three

main rooms – seafood, cheeses & charcuterie is the first port of call. Here you will find wonderful antipasti; local oysters, crabs, clams, mussels & prawns; fois gras (served six different ways) and one of the most diverse array of charucterie you will ever see. If fromage is for you, you may never want to leave this section! There are 1,000 different cheeses, (making it the largest selection in any French restaurant) from every region in France, some from further afield, are a discovery in themselves.

Remembering there are two-more “courses” to your Grands Buffets experience, the second and largest section features the aforementioned chafing dishes – each containing a mouth-watering creation from a rich daube of beef to ratatouille, breaded frog’s legs to duck confit.

The sheer variety of what’s on offer aside, the room also contains the pièce de résistance of Les Grands Buffets, their rotisserie which towers over the chefs below who prepare dishes to order – from suckling pig to lobster thermidor (you have to pinch yourself to remind you of the value your meal represents, each individual dish from the rotisserie section alone would cost more than the 35.90€ you are paying for your whole dining experience if enjoyed at any other restaurant).

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“1,000 macarons are consumed a day... and 300,000 guests pass through the doors of this culinary institution every year...�

To complement the food, another major feature here is the wine list with every bottle charged at the cost price the restaurant pays the vineyard. Not only that, but each of the 70 bottles can also be enjoyed by the glass – all adding up to a staggering 80,000 bottles being consumed by guests annually (the largest consumption of any independent restaurant in the country).

By this point of your visit you have in mind that there is still one, yet highly important, section left to visit – the desserts. Or do you, like me, revisit the cheese section?

As with each aspect of the restaurant you have sampled before, you will not be disappointed with your sweet finalé; the pastry chefs in the kitchens are kept busy throughout the day preparing over 100 different desserts including gateaux, ganache, eclairs and, as we later find out behind the scenes, the quintessential macarons which must be a favorite as 1,000 are consumed every day.

As a guest of Monsieur Privat, we were very fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to see at first-hand how his passion extends far beyond what the customers see and taste, with equal importance given to the working environment for his staff, most notably their kitchens.

State-of-the-art air conditioning, background music, etched artwork on the stainless-steel units and dividing the workspace so that noisy machinery is housed in sound-proofed rooms away from the main kitchens – this is just as visionary as the whole concept that is Les Grands Buffets.

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As we shake hands to leave, Monsieur Private takes out a sketch book containing some artistic impressions of yet further improvements to be made in 2018. He explains that to encourage guests to return time after time, he must expand what is on offer yet keep to his principle of quality food at exceptional value, available to all – the 300,000 guests who pass through the doors to this culinary institution each year are probably the clearest signs that he is right.

Les Grands Buffets is open 365 days of the year and reserving a table is very simple via their website (which is easy to navigate in four languages). You can normally reserve up to 7 days prior, although to accommodate the huge influx that July & August brings (where 1,000 people a day are turned away) the booking calendar is extended.

However, do plan your visit well in advance and combine it with the wonderful city centre of Narbonne where you can discover the City’s Roman origins, stunning cathedral, Canal du Midi and a number of art galleries & markets.

www.lesgrandsbuffets.com/en www.narbonne-tourism.co.uk

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In the Land of Castles & Cheese Gruyères, Switzerland

S

ince the 13th century, Chateau de Gruyères has stood atop a hill in the green Fribourg region of Switzerland.

Built between 1270 and 1282, in the medieval town of Gruyères, the castle is a Swiss heritage site of national significance and is one of the few medieval castles that has never been abandoned. The town of Gruyères is first mentioned around 1138-39, and although the House of Gruyères is important historically, how Gruyères began remains somewhat mysterious, although “Le Gruyère cheese was born in 1115”.

The chateau first belonged to the Counts of Gruyères, until Count Michel fell into bankruptcy in 1554. From 1555 to 1798, it served as the residence to the bailiffs and prefects. Centuries later, the castle was sold to the Bovy and Balland families, who restored it and used it as their summer residence.

In 1849, John Bovy purchased the castle for his brother, Daniel Bovy, after a snow accident in the Alps. With the loss of a promising art career and use of his legs, in addition to injured hands; his brother aquired Chateau de Gruyères in hopes to draw him out of his depressed state by allowing him to invite his artist friends, French painter, JeanBaptiste Camille Corot and drawing teacher from Geneva, Barthélemy Menn in which they demonstrated their artistic collaboration by painting landscapes in the Salon Corot.

Also wanting to dedicate the decor of the second floor to the memory of the Golden Age of the Gruyerian counts, Bovy invited a colony of artists to stay at the castle to represent the history and legends of Gruyères. This vision to restore the history of the Counts that encompassed the glory of Gruyères, is showcased in the Great Hall of the Knights.

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Š Photography Opposite page: Nicolette Johnston Top & Bottom Right: Yves Eigenmann Bottom left: nicolette johnston

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In 1938, the castle was bought back by the canton of Fribourg, which has since been turned into a museum. The castle is one of the few to feature a chronological tour, most others are set only in one era.

To visit Chateau de Gruyères is like traveling in time from the medieval times to the 19th century. You begin with the oldest rooms on the first floor and the further you go up in the castle, the further you advance in time. The three periods showcased are the 15th, 18th and 19th century. Though it has been refurbished, expanded and modernized, everything is an original from those time periods.

The collection of art includes items such as armor and capes. The Swiss Confederate (including troops from Gruyères) collected these capes from the Order of the Golden Fleece at the Battle of Morat against Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgandy in 1476. One of the three capes showcased is a black velvet sacerdotal vestment with Philip the Good’s emblem sewn into the cape.

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Top castle in autumn: Nicolette Johnston bottom castle in winter: Yves Eigenmann Opposite page Top, French gardens: Yves Eigenmann Bottom, salon carot: Courtesy chateau de Gruyères

“French painter, Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot and drawing teacher from Geneva, Barthélemy Menn demonstrated their artistic collaboration by painting landscapes in the Salon Corot.”

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Beautiful French Boxwood gardens are situated between the ramparts and the dungeon.

“Insert amazing pull quote here”

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St. Theodul’s church in

Gruyères

opposite page: Nicolette Johnston Top & Bottom Right: Yves Eigenmann

Upon touring the castle, the first room visited is the kitchen which was originally installed behind walls three meters thick, for the purpose of a bread oven during the 13th century. When the kitchen was renovated in the 16th century, a loophole window was made larger to allow more light. This was symbolic because it demonstrated that the fear of a direct attack had lessened. Pebbles from the Sarine River which passes just below the castle were brought in for the kitchen floor. https://www.chateau-gruyeres.ch

Gruyères is spelled with an "s" when referencing the castle or village; it is Gruyère when referencing the cheese.

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© Photos above courtesy of chateau de gruyères Opposite page: Nicolette Johnston coat of arms: via wikimedia commons

How the town famous for its Cheese got its name & coat of arms...

Gruerius the legendary founder of Gruyères, is known to have captured a crane (in French: “grue”), which inspired him for the name Gruyères. The coat of arms proudly displays Gules, a Crane rising Argent.

La Maison du Gruyère THE CHEESE FROMAGERIE Born in Switzerland in 1115

©nicolette johnston

Fondue with Mushrooms, Gruyère AOP and Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP Recipe from La Maison du Gruyère Serves 4 - 30 Minutes

Ingredients 400g grated or sliced Gruyère AOP 200g Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP 1 tablespoon butter 1 finely chopped onion 100g cleaned chanterelle mushrooms 100g sliced button mushrooms 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped 1 clove of garlic, cut into two 4 teaspoons of corn flour 300ml white wine 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 small glass of kirsch Freshly ground pepper, salt Pinch of paprika Pan fry onions gently in butter until they become transparent, without browning. Add the chanterelle and button mushrooms cooking gently until all the liquid has evaporated. Add the parsley, cook a little longer, season and keep warm. Rub the fondue dish with the clove of garlic. Leave in pot if desired. Mix the Gruyère AOP, the Vacherin Fribourgeois and the corn flour together in the fondue dish. Add the white wine and bring to a boil while stirring continuously until the cheese has melted. Add the kirsch, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper.

Lastly, add the mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Keep the fondue dish warm on the burner over a very low flame.

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Local farmers deliver milk twice a day to the fromgerie, where visitors can watch master cheesemakers produce 48 wheels of cheese a day.

The cheese is made 2-4 times a day, and takes about 2 1/2 hours to prepare.

For more delicious recipes from Gruyère, like Leek Bacon & Gruyère AOP tartlets and Teriyaki Beef Skewers with Gruyère AOP or to purchase their cookbook or other great fondue items visit: https:// gruyere.com/en/recipes/

© background photo of cheesewheels and cheesemaker courtesy of LA Gruyères tourism. fondue ingredients photo courtesy of le Gruyère AOP.

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Gruyères

Arts & culture Saint-Germain Castle is also in Gruyères. It was purchased in 1998 by surrealist Swiss painter, sculpter and set designer, H.R. Giger.

The Museum HR Giger is now housed inside the castle and is open for tours. https://www.hrgigermuseum.com Above: saint-germain castle © wikipedia commons pro1968

© Photos above: nicolette johnston

Cheese shops and local restaurants offer visitors traditional fondue.

The St. John feast (St-Jean in French) is an annual medieval fair held the weekend closest to June 24th. Though the root for the festival is the summer solstice, the church understood the pagan tradition so they developed an intergration strategy to transform it into the St. John feast. Historical costumes worn are sown based on scientific research.

Previous themes include the market, hunting, a music tournament and the crusade. more information can be found on the @stjeangruyeres Facebook page.

© Photos above courtesy of chateau de gruyères

A local artisan carves a wooden cream spoon. The carved spoon tradition dates back to life in mountain chalets in the early 17th century. Wood carvers Etienne Geinoz and Emile Pasquier designed the special open lacy wood carvings in the 20th century. The spoons are occasionally dyed with milk © chateauDeGruyère coffee and no two spoons are ever the same even though the pattern is identical. © Photo courtesy of La-Gruyere.ch

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