For centuries France has been regarded as the beacon of style.  The sumptuous decor of its châteaux and mansions still attracts millions of visitors each year. French Travel Boutique gives you the opportunity to experience the most interesting examples of the essence of “French style”, with privileged entry to an amazing range of Paris Interiors - an unforgettable visual feast!

We cover an impressive range of interiors, combining the best of Paris with a delightful selection of residences in the surrounding countryside and villages. We visit a fascinating variety of private homes ranging from the tiny cottage of "Bolero" composer Maurice Ravel right through to the breathtaking château which is the private residence of Jacques Garcia, the doyen of French Interior design.

Our experts take you to see an amazing series of decorated rooms with original boiseries, painted ceilings, furniture and objects from various periods. 

There is also an innovative "interiors" shopping option.  Our expert guide accompanies you on a special tour of Paris, showing you the best areas to find specific interiors stockists, with tips and hidden delights.

We can show you the widest range of "Interiors" shopping options and provide you with an address book to fill in as you go so you can follow up at your leisure.

If you prefer, we can design a special itinerary to cater for your personal interests. The choice is yours.  

FRENCH DECOR HERITAGE

Our expert starts the day with a brief presentation on the background and development of "French Style" décor. This is followed by a full day visiting the best Paris museum collections containing complete decorated rooms from various periods, ranging from the bed chamber of a 15th century gentleman through to the stunning boudoir of designer Jeanne Lanvin. The day finishes at the Louvre with the magnificent Napoleon III apartments and the collection of furniture from the salon and bedroom of her apartment in the Abbaye-au-Bois.

THE PRIVATE DOMAINS OF THE EMPRESS AND THE QUEEN

The morning is devoted to Josephine's favorite residence, her private château at Malmaison. The château contains an amazing range of the furniture and personal objects owned by Napoleon and Josephine. Her bedroom has been restored to its original splendour and you will see Josephine's spectacular bed with its gold swans (her symbol). The afternoon is spent at Versailles in the Domain of Marie-Antoinette, her private world away from the imposing Château of Versailles. This charming residence reflects her taste, with its pastel colours and floral motifs, set in the garden as it was when she created it in the 18th century.

PARIS MANSIONS

Visit three mansions owned by fabulously wealthy Parisians from three different centuries. The first was built at the end of the 18th century, is still a private residence and regarded as the best example of  Directory Style. The second gives us an insight into the fabulous social life in the late 19th century. The third is the exquisite home of Moise de Camondo, overlooking the beautiful Parc Monceau.

We will enjoy a private visit of the mansion which was bequeathed intact to the Museum of Decorative Arts.

FAMOUS PEOPLE

The contrast of these four private residences in Montfort d'Amaury is astounding. Surrounding this picturesque village, we find the little cottage where Maurice Ravel composed “Bolero”, the surprisingly unpretentious family home where Jean Monnet, “father” of the EEC welcomed world leaders and the modern architecture of the home Alvar Aalto designed in 1959 for the gallery owner and collector Louis Carré. After a stroll through the superb gardens of Chateau de Groussay, we visit the private residence with its fabulous décor, including a spectacular theatre that will take your breath away and the library which so impressed Cecil Beaton that he used it as is the model for Henry Higgins' library in My Fair Lady.

THE JOURNÉE JACQUES GARCIA

Around Paris there are many examples of interiors by Jacques Garcia. We can design a special day with breakfast, lunch and dinner surrounded by the decor he has created in a series of restaurants (and maybe afternoon tea and cocktails if you are really keen!). Or for the ultimate "Interiors" experience, we will arrange for a private visit of his private château in Normandy.  This visual feast is guaranteed to be the highlight of your trip.  The opulent style of the château's truly amazing collection will delight you.  In true royal style, the magnificant gardens will take your breath away.  We're convinced that if Louis XIV were alive today, this is where he would be living!

Jacques Garcia is well known to professional interior designers. "Le style Garcia" is easily recognised in a number of fashionable icons around Paris - hotels such as Hotel Costes, Fouquet's Barrière, l'Hôtel and Odéon Saint-Germain and more than 20 restaurants, cafés and bars.

Franck Ferrand's fascinating biography "Decorating in the French Style" outlines Jacques Garcia's personal journey from humble beginnings as the son of a Spanish immigrant to the doyen of "French Style" and owner of the opulent Champ de Bataille.

As a young child, Jacques had already started to create his own "château", a "wondrous playhouse" in the old kennels on a country property owned by his grandparents where he spent his summer vacations. After visiting a neighbour's château, even though he was still under ten years of age, he recognised: "This was my world, the world I felt I belonged to". He started visiting châteaux such as Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte with his father, who happily encouraged his son's interest. He studied descriptions of royal residences and his imagination was fired by the works of Alexandre Dumas as he started to become acquainted with Anne of Austria, Richelieu and d'Artagnan.

However, predictably, it was the creation of Louis XIV which was his pole-star: "Versailles above all, Versailles forever". The "Grand Siècle" became a "burning passion". Since the 1970's he has built up a fabulous collection of royal furnishing and art objects.

Although this was his primary focus, he did not become pigeon-holed as the body of his work reveals. As an example, Hôtel Costes, his first major project seen by the public in Paris, is in the Second Empire Style. M. Garcia was also selected to design the interior of the Musée de la Vie Romantique, with decor in the period between and First and Second Empires.

Logically, it is his private château in Normandy which is the best example of the "full range of his palette". The château's magnificent gardens alone are worth the trek from Paris.

A special day spent at this magical private residence is the perfect way to spoil yourself for that special occasion. In the meantime, you can pour over the stunning photographs in the latest edition of Franck Ferrand's inspirational story of

"Jacques Garcia - Decorating in the French Style".