A New Chapter for the Château de Chassagny

Today, I am thinking of my dear friend Edouard. The contents of his family’s historic 12^th century Chateau de Chassagny is being auctioned.

This beautiful Chateau is about 20 minutes south of Lyon. It sits at the edge of the village that bears its name – on the Mornantet river, facing the mountains of Pilat to the south and the Lyonnais to the west. It’s a peaceful haven surrounded by nature.

Edouard and I were students together at Christie’s Paris, where we studied fine and decorative French art history. Although I have not seen him in many years, I have followed his life through Facebook and Instagram. He is truly one of the nicest people I have ever met, and I have so enjoyed being a distant observer of his many travels and various restoration projects at the Chateau.

As an American, who is about to embark on the second restoration of my 1920’s Chicago pied-à-terre, I can only imagine the insurmountable challenges of maintaining a castle. The expense of hiring artisans and craftsman capable of providing the special services necessary for a historic monument – not to mention the army of gardeners, managers, and staff necessary for weddings and specials events – must be incredible.   

Hearing the news of the auction and watching the events unfold over Edouard’s social media platforms has been a bit stressful. I think back to the many auctions I’ve attended, my numerous visits to the Marché aux Puces, my penchant for Vide-Greniers, and how often I have wondered…”where do all these household treasures originate?” This feels a bit too close to home. Not only because of my fondness for Edouard, but also because of my deep love of France and my strong desire for preservation at all costs.

At the end of the day, while I would love to have every beautiful place in world preserved just as it is or was in its heyday, I know it’s impossible. Life is all about change, and it’s something we all must accept in order to grow.

And so, I will look forward to a new chapter for the Chateau de Chassagny and opportunities that lay ahead. It’s very possible that it’s storied past is only a precursor to an even more glorious and brilliant future.

Merci to Edouard for being such a devoted steward of the Chateau de Chassagny over many years.