>SCHOOL OP THE PINE AECTS < SMALL FRENCH BUILDINGS SMALL FRENCH BUILDINGS THE ARCHITECTURE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY COMPRISING COTTAGES, FARMHOUSES, MINOR CHATEAUX OR MANORS WITH THEIR FARM GROUPS SMALL TOWN DWELLINGS, AND A FEW CHURCHES BY LEWIS A, ,qOFFIN, Jr,, HENRY M, POLHEMUS AND ADDISON F. WORTHINGTON NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1921 Copyright, 1921, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS ^^ -tA2l C PRINTED AI THE SCRIBNER PEESS NEW YORK, U. S. A. CONTENTS PAGE Small French Buildings i Cottages 5 Churches and Chapels 6i Town Houses 73 Chateaux, Manors, and Farm Groups 115 Details 235 2 2 1 L ILLUSTRATIONS COTTAGES Plate i. Hamlet near L'Amaury, Seine-et-Oise . Plate i. Shop at Concarneau, Finistere ... . . Plate 3. Brittany cottage . .... Plate 4. Typical old Brittany cottage Plate 5. Cottage near FreuUeville, Seine-Inferieure Plate 6. Farmer's cottage near Dieppe, Seine-Inferieure . Plate 7. Stone cottages at Conches, Eure Plate 8. Roadside cottage near Beuzeville, Eure Plate 9. Cottage at Luneray, Seine-Inferieure .... Plate io. Thatched roof Normandy cottage in typical setting Plate ii. Cottage near Totes, Seine-Inferieure Plate 12, Cottage near Totes, Seine-Inferieure . Plate 13. Farm cottage near Beaufay, Sarthe Plate 14, Cottage near Totes, Seine-Inferieure Plate 15, Farm cottage near Beaufay, Sarthe Plate 16, Roadside cottage near Lisieux, Calvados Plate 17, Thirteenth-century house at La Saussaye . Plate 18. Hamlet near L'Amaury, Seine-et-Oise . Plate 19. Cottage near Amfreville, Eure . Plate 20. Farm at Bieville-en-Ange, Calvados Plate 21. Roadside cottage near Authon, Eure-et-Loir Plate 22, Hamlet near Yerville, Seine-Inferieure Plate 23, Cottage near Quievercourt, Seine-Inferieure vii Frontispiece PAGE • • 7 9 II ¦ • 13 • 15 • • 17 • • 1919 21 232325 25 27 29 31322,235 2S3737 ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 24, Plate 25. Plate 26 Plate 27 Plate 28 Plate 29. Plate 30 Plate 31 Plate 32 Plate ;^;^ Plate 34. Plate 35 Plate 36. Cottage near Melamare, Seine-Inferieure . Village near Authon, Eure-et-Loir Cottage on the Dordogne, near St. Cyprien An entrance to Montfort, Seine-et-Oise Village street, Montfort, Seine-et-Oise . Cottage near Damville, Eure . Cottage of Savigny, Manche Cottage near St. Jacques, Plomb du Cantal Farmhouse at Marolles, Calvados . House in the Dordogne Valley A southern village . . . . Cottage near Ste. Foy-la-Grande, Gironde Cottage near Bergerac, Dordogne . PAGE ¦ • 39 41 43 45 45 47 49 51 53 53 55 57 57 Plate 37, Plate 38 Plate 39, Plate 40. Plate 41 Plate 42, Plate 43 Plate "Plate Plate 44, 45 46, CHAPELS Chapel at Romorantin, Loir-et-Cher Farm chapel near Brecy, Calvados Chateau chapel at Millanc^ay, Loir-et-Cher St. Leger-en-Yvelines, Seine-et-Oise Hamlet near Concarneau, Finistere Church at Vaucelle, Calvados . . . . Church at Daoulas, Finistere Pont Audemer, Eure ... . . . Chapel at Chateau Gratot, near Coutances, Manche Church at Noisy-sur-Oise 6161 636365676769 69 71 TOWN HOUSES Plate 47. Shop at Landerneau, Finistere . Plate 48. House at Landerneau, Finistere Plate 49. House at Landerneau, Finistere 75 77 79 Vlll ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 50, Hotel des Trois Piliers, Landerneau, Finistere Plate 51, House at Hennebont, Morbihan .... Plate 52, Auray, Morbihan Plate 53, Le Mans, Sarthe . . Plate 54. On the ramparts, Mont St. Michel, Manche Plate 55. Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir Plate 56. Houses at Conches, Eure-et-Loir . ... Plate 57, House at Compiegne, Oise Plate 58, Old house at Mennetou-sur-Cher, Loir-et-Cher . Plate 59. House at Verneuil, Eure , . . . . Plate 5o. An old town house Plate 61. Restaurant at Etampes, Seine-et-Oise . Plate 62. House at Beaulieu, Correze Plate 63. House at Couches-les-Mines, Saone-et-Loire Plate 64. House at Arnay-le-Duc, Cote-d'Or . I Plate 65, Pont Audemer, Eure Plate 66. Caudebec-en-Caux, Seine-Inferieure . . . . Plate 67. House between church buttresses. La Charite, Nievre Plate 68. Street at Conches, Eure Plate 69. House at Arnay-le-Duc, Cote-d'Or Plate 70, House at Arnay-le-Duc, Cote-d'Or . Plate 71. House at Arnay-le-Duc, -CoteM'Or 79 818385 8787 89 91 92 959799 IOI 103 105 105 107 107 109 109 III 113 CHATEAUX, MANORS, AND FARM GROUPS Plate 72. Entrance to manor farmyard near Demigny, Saone-et-Loire Plate 73. Pigeon-house, manor near Demigny, Saone-et-Loire .... Plate 74. Garden-house near Hennebont, Morbihan Plate 75. Chateau Gratot, near Coutances, Manche Plate 76. Garden-house near Hennebont, Morbihan ... Plate 77. Le manoir de Rouazle, Finistere . . .... ix 119121123 125 127 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Plate 78. Farm on Blaret River above Hennebont, Morbihan . . ... 129 Plate 79. House at Guiscard . . . . ... 129 Plate 80. House near Mercoeur, Correze ... . • ¦ 13^ Plate 81. Farmhouse near St. Cyprien, Dordogne Valley . . 133 Plate 82. House at Brion, Saone-et-Loire . 135 Plate 83. Farmhouse at St. Pierre-le-Viger, Seine-Inferieure . . 137 Plate 84. Manor at Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais, Calvados . . 139 Plate 85. House at Esclarelles, Seine-Inferieure . . . 141 Plate 86. Manor near FreuUeville, Seine-Inferieure . 141 Plate 87. Farmyard near FreuUeville, Seine-Inferieure . . . . . 143 Plate 88. Entrance to farm near Neufchatel . . 143 Plate 89. Manor farmyard near FreuUeville, Seine-Inferieure . . 145 Plate 90. Farmhouse near Lisieux, Calvados .... . . . . 145 Plate 91. Farmyard side of manor near Bures, Seine-Inferieure . . . 147 Plate 92. Manor gate near Bures, Seine-Inferieure . ... 147 Plate 93. Farmyard, manor near Bures, Seine-Inferieure . .... . . 149 Plate 94. Farm buildings, manor near Bures, Seine-Inferieure . . ... I49 Plate 95. Farm group near Neufchatel, Seine-Inferieure . ... 151 Plate 96, Horse farm near Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir 151 Plate 97, Manor stables at Arques-la-Bataille, Seine-Inferieure 153 Plate 98, Manor at Esclarelles, Seine-Inferieure 153 Plate 99, Manor at Croixdalle, Seine-Inferieure ... .... 155 Plate 100. Inn near Bourdamville, Seine-Inferieure . . ... 155 Plate ioi. Chateau de Bemecourt, Eure .... . . 157 Plate 102, Sixteenth-century manor, Monteille, Calvados . . 157 Plate 103. Gateway, Manoir d'Ango, Varengeville, Seine-Inferieure 159 Plate 104. Entrance to courtyard, Manoir d'Ango, Varengeville, Seine-Inferieure . . 159 Plate 105. Farmhouse near Yerville, Seine-Inferieure 161 Plate 106, Manor near Lintot, Seine-Inferieure . ... 161 Plate 107. Manor at Omverville, Seine-et-Oise ... . . 163 X ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Plate io8. Stables near Brecy, Calvados . 165 Plate 109. Farmyard near Brecy, Calvados ... . 165 Plate iio. Farmyard, St. Jean-de-Follerville, Seine-Inferieure 167 Plate hi. Farm building near St. Leger, Saone-et-Loire . 167 Plate 112. Farmyard near BrezoUes, Eure-et-Loir . . 169 Plate 113. Stable near Brezolles, Eure-et-Loir . . 169 Plate 114. Farmhouse at St. Pierre-le-Viger, Seine-Inferieure 171 Plate 115. Farm building near Brezolles, Eure-et-Loir . 171 Plate 116. Entrance court fagade. Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados 173 Plate 117, Entrance, Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados . . . 175 Plate ii8. General plan of Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados . . 177 Plate 119. Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados 179 Plate 120. Farm near St. Leger, Saone-et-Loire 179 Plate 121. Chateau le Pin, Calvados i8i Plate 122. Stables of the Chateau Cheverny 183 Plate 123. Stable building, Chateau du Bouissard, near Brezolles . .185 Plate 124, Chateau de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, Calvados . . . . 187 Plate 125. Chateau de Cantepie-Lisieux 189 Plate 126. Entrance to Chateau at Couchey, Cote-d'Or . 191 Plate 127. Stable-yard, Millan^ay, Loir-et-Cher 191 Plate 128. Farmhouse at Monthelon, Saone-et-Loire . 193 Plate 129. Farmhouse near Le Neubourg, Eure . . . 195 Plate 130. Farmhouse at Monthelon, Saone-et-Loire . 195 Plate 131. Chateau near Millan^ay, Loir-et-Cher . . . 197 Plate 132. Horse-farm courtyard near Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir . . 197 Plate 133. Chateau de Villepreaux, Creuse 199 Plate 134. Farm near St. Leger, Saone-et-Loire . . 201 Plate 135, Farm near St, Leger, Saone-et-Loire . . . . . . . 203 Plate 136, House near Vic-sur-Cere, Cantal ... .... ... 205 Plate 137. Farm near Gourdon, Lot . . ... . . . . . 207 xi ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Plate 138. Manoir Duval near FreuUeville, Seine-Inferieure 207 Plate 139. Farm near Gourdon . . . . 209 Plate 140. Farm group near Rambouillet, Seine-et-Oise 2. 11 Plate 141. Stable-yard near Demigny, Saone-et-Loire ^n Plate 142. Farm near La Remuee, Seine-Inferieure . 213 Plate 143. Mill near Murat, Cantal . . . 213 Plate 144. Farm near Dommej Dordogne .. .. 215 Plate 145, Farm group near Gourdon, Lot 215 Plate 146. Farmhouse near St. Cyprien, Dordogne Valley . 217 Plate 147. Manor at Vaucelles, Calvados .... 219 Plate 148, Gatehouse of Chateau de Royalhen, South Compiegne 221 Plate 149, House at St. Symphories, Tours ... . 223 Plate 150. House at St. Symphories, Tours .... . . 223 Plate 151. Plan of manor near Libourne, Gironde 225 Plate 152. Garden elevation of manor near Libourne, Gironde .... , , . 227 Plate 153. Section and details of manor near Libourne, Gironde 229 Plate 154. Farm entrance, manor near Demigny, Saone-et-Loire . 231 Plate 155. Stable near St. Emilion, Gironde . . 231 Plate 156. Manor at Arques-la-Bataille 233 DETAILS Plate 157. Farm-gate near La Remuee, Seine-Inferieure 237 Plate 158. Pigeon-house at La Grande Verriere, Saone-et-Loire 239 Plate 159. Pigeon-house, Manoir Duval, near FreuUeville, Seine-Inferieure 239 Plate 160. Pigeon-house near Brezolles, Eure-et-Loir . . 24I Plate 161. Pigeon-house near Chartres . . 243 Plate 162. An octagonal pigeon-house 245 Plate 163. Balustrade at Billom, Puy-de-D6me 247 Plate 164. Window grille, Manoir d'Ango, Varengeville, Seine-Inferieure 247 Plate 165. Loggia, Manoir d'Ango, Varengeville, Seine-Inferieure 249 xii ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Plate i66. Detail, house at Verneuil, Eure . . 249 Plate 167. Bridge at Vendome, Loir-et-Cher . . ... 251 Plate 168. Garden-gate, Chateau de Sorel, Dreux, Eure . . . . . . 253 Plate 169. Farm-gate near St. Jean-de-Follerville, Seine-Inferieure . 255 Plate 170. Gate from garden to farm, Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux 255 Plate 171. Farmhouse doors, Monthelon, Saone-et-Loire .... ... 257 Plate 172. Gate near Evreux, Eure . . . . 259 Plate 173. Farm-gate near St. Jean-de-Follerville, Seine-Inferieure 259 Plate 174. Farm-gate near La Remuee, Seine-Inferieure 261 Plate 175. Doorway at Le Mans, Sarthe . . 263 Plate 176. Doorway at Arnay-le-Duc, Cote-d'Or ... 263 Plate 177. Door at Billom, Puy-de-D6me ... 265 Plate 178. Church entrance at Honfleur, Seine-Inferieure 267 Plate 179. Farm entrance near Lintot, Seine-Inferieure . . 267 Plate 180. Detail of stone garden-gate of house at Brion, Saone-et-Loire 269 Plate 181. Garden-gate, Arnay-le-Duc, Cote-d'Or 271 Plate 182. Garden-gate, Montfort, Seine-et-Oise 273 Plate 183. Entrance to Chateau de St. Georges, Montagne, Gironde 275 Xin SMALL FRENCH BUILDINGS The minor architecture of France, of which this book can unfortunately cover but a small part, comprises a field worthy, we believe, of further study and atten tion. It is astonishing that these small buildings have received so little attention as compared with similar types of other countries, notably of Italy and of England, in regard to which a considerable number of books are available. Why these buildings of France have not been more sought out and preserved in publica tion, it is difficult to say. Perhaps it is because France seems so distinctly a coun try of monumental architecture, that its lesser and more modest buildings of the country and the provinces have come little to the attention of the student; per haps because the finer examples are quite widely scattered, so that any collec tion of such material must of necessity be difficult. In gathering the pictures and other data, we covered, on foot and cycle, the sections of France that seemed most full of promise: Normandy, Brittany, the Cote-d'Or, the Dordogne section, and the fertile valleys of the interior. Of course it was impossible to reap the full harvest even of the parts visited, and we know that a vast mass of excellent ma terial remains untouched as yet. It is hoped that some time soon most of it may be gathered, together in published form, for much that is worth while disappears year by year. In choosing our material, we have purposely avoided the chateaux, particularly those familiar ones of the Loire valley, as well as the larger and better-known buildings in general. Our idea has been to include only the smaller chateaux, quite unfamiliar ones off the beaten track, the manors, the farm groups, and the cottages of the peasants. At first there was every intention to omit all churches, but in Normandy and often elsewhere it was quite impossible to resist photo graphing the quaint little churches and chapels that fit in so well with the coun try, the people, and the surrounding hamlets. And now it is as impossible to re frain from including a few of these. The majority of the photographs we took ourselves, so for their quality we can hold to account only ourselves and the fickle weather of France, A few pictures we bought and a few very interesting ones have been contributed by Mr, Philip L, Goodwin, to whom our thanks are given. There is no truer mirror of a people and a civilization than their informal ar chitecture. In it there has been no attempt at artificial effect and very small obeisance to the passing fashions. The buildings of the French farmer, the small landowner, and the peasant, are as indigenous to their soil as the poplar-trees and poppies in the fields. The Frenchman is and always has been a lover of fine words, of gay colors, of flowered gardens, of piquancy, and of originahty. So, too, are his I SMALL FRENCH BUILDINGS buildings: original, full of piquant interest, often gay of color, and invariably set around with hedge and flowers. . The variety of types — the chateaux, the manors, farms, and peasant cottages — reflect the state of society in the past, those widely divergent conditions of wealth which existed and still exist to a lesser extent. Then, too, we can discern the in fluences that the bordering states have had, where the sections were once under the control of some neighbor country, as, for instance, in Normandy, where the rural types of buildings are distinctly English in character and material; and on the southern slopes, where the influence of Italy can everywhere be seen. The path of the Renaissance remains clearly visible, where it swept up from Italy and Spain, fading out in the less accessible regions, until in the remote sections of Brit tany the earlier or Gothic forms remain clearly predominant. We are hopeful of the utility and of the pleasant savor of this material to any lover of good building — for its very freshness and playful originality, if for nothing else. There are a great many suggestions of value in these old types, most impor tant perhaps in the roof shapes, the compositions of masses, and the fitness of house for setting. Color, unfortunately, cannot be reproduced, and many of the buildings are particularly of interest in their color and the tones of their ma terials. In the introductory notes before each group, an attempt has been made to convey as much as possible of the effect of the materials and of noteworthy de tails. Most particularly the thick stone walls, dry, buttered, or stuccoed, the broken masses of the roofs, the placing of chimneys and dormers, the fenestration^ and the use of casements are features worthy of careful note. The usual French house has little to offer in the way of valuable suggestion for modern house arrange ment, so we have thought best to omit any study of such plans from the ma terial. However, two plans are included, both very interesting in their general scheme. That of the Chateau Brecy shows an excellent use of a slopiiig site for a walled garden in a series of ascending terraces; and that of a manor near Libourne, by the use of a grassed terrace, moat, and four immense linden-trees, has made very effective use of a practically flat site. Regarding detail, we have omitted any serious presentation, realizing that one of the most important sug gestions we find in the minor French buildings, is that detail of elaborateness and quantity has not been needed. Any one viewing a French village from a point of vantage, must remark on the manner in which it nestles into the surrounding country, forming a part and parcel of the land, and not staring out from the green earth like a blotch on the landscape. Age, of course, has had much to do with this quiet and agreeable re sult, but even more important are the materials that have been used in construc tion. In most cases they are strictly local: the stone from the near-by field or brook, thatch from the meadow, or slate from the hillside quarry close by. There fore, it is quite natural that the buildings are but a more definitized, more human- 2 SMALL FRENCH BUILDINGS ized form of the country about, built into rambling, picturesque shapes peculiarly suited to their sites, and in time covered with moss and vine. Then, too, the small towns and isolated buildings have not suffered from the disadvantages of eclec ticism, except in a few unfortunate places; and all seem to go very pleasantly to gether, mildly ruled by tradition, no matter their age. Any student of town planning would do well to see in these French towns what variety may be at tempted, what controlled spontaneity of design employed, and yet what a con gruous whole, obtained. The farm group is also particularly suggestive; to-day we have much of this sort of building. The typical French farm group, comprising numerous build ings, was almost invariably built around a court, very wide, walled about and planted with "espalier" fruit-trees. The informality of the grouping of the vari ous buildings, the roof masses, walls, and entrance-gateways have many sug gestions to offer. For country houses, the smaller, more informal chateaux, the manors as well as the larger farm buildings, are valuable for ideas of mass, materials, and details. It is our hope that others may appreciate these little buildings and find in them some freshness and inspiration. And we can recommend, from pleasant and profitable experience, this simple sort of architecture to any one who may find himself in France, as being not so impressive as cathedrals or as magnificent as palaces, but very worth while. For in its quest, one learns to love the people, their songs and laughter, their wheat-fields and poppies, quite as fully as their buildings. We hope that this book may bring something new and refreshing and stimulate an enlivened interest in a field rather neglected and yet very worthy of study. COTTAGES Under this head have been grouped the small' cottages of the peasant farmer, which have little architectural detail of any sort but the charm of utter sim plicity, of wonderful color, and exact fitness for their settings. Along the white roads of France and through the fields, these little cottages snuggle down behind their hedges and flower-gardens, so old and softened in line and color that they seem a very part of the land itself. The roof lines are long and soft, and the build ings seldom more than one story and a half in height. The most usual arrangement consists of two main rooms: — a combination living-room and kitchen, and a bed room — or maybe two — while the loft above is accessible only from an outside stair way and opening, and is chiefly for storage. Each room has an ample fireplace, and the kitchen contains the large bake-oven. The materials of construction are in general strictly local, and the resulting uniformity is largely accountable for the artistic charm of the small French vil lage. In the north are found the thatched roofs and half-timber construction along the farm roads, while nearer the towns there are more cottages of brick with pan-tile roofs. In Brittany there are many picturesque little cottages of stone, or stone podged over with stucco, with gabled, thatched, or slate roofs, and the small amount of detail more Gothic than aught else. The forms of the thatched cottages seem almost to have been inspired by the long, soft, hipped hnes of the carefully stacked haymows; and the roofs themselves, often green with moss or with the ridges a growing mass of fleurs-de-lis, of course, blend beautifully with the landscape. In central France are found many brick or white walled cottages with tile or thatch roofs, while in the southern parts most buildings have the flavor and sug gestion of Italy or Spain, with large expanses of white stucco walls, symmetrically placed openings, and roll tile roofs with wide overhangs at the eaves, as illustrated in Plates 35 and 36. Among the illustrations, Plate 3 shows a Brittany cottage of roughly faced local stone and thatched roof, as does Plate 30. The thatch ridge has blossomed forth in flowers, and though the wall has been patched out, the effect is snug and pleas ing in line. Plate 5 is an exarriple of a brick cottage set down behind its garden and buried in vines. The hipped end of the roof is carried down nearly to the ground in a shed roof. Plates 8, 9, 14, and 17 are examples of half-timbered cot tages, the half-timber frieze in the cottages near Beuzeville and Totes being often seen in such little buildings. The cottage at Quievercourt on Plate 23 has an unusual treatment of the chimney, buttresses flanking its base, while Plate 29 shows a decorated brick-and-stone treatment of the chimney. The overhanging eaves at the end shelter the stairway to the loft, 5 Plate 4. Typical old Brittany cottage II 'vCO Pn 0) O u WH PL, 13 IS o U 03 '3 o r^ -0 w bn H <; bo 1-1 Pm .a > O XS (-> :? 17 Plate 8, Roadside cottage near Beuzeville, Eure Plate g. Cottage at Luneray, Seine-Inferieure 19 Plate io. Thatched roof Normandy cottage in typical setting Plate ii. Cottage near Totes, Seine-Inferieure Plate 12, Cottage near Totes, Seine-Inferieure 23 • ; yd M 7*- ¦^ M^Hlil m'^i^mH^^^ i^-.- ;-• J g^^^^^H ^^J ¦ 1 ^^^^^^m ¦ Swr'-^H HU ^^, ><¦ ' ^Mt^^Mffl plt^BH Hnn Plate 13. Farm cottage near Beaufay, Sarthe ""-^^^noHjjjB ^^O^^^^u Pvw*^ ^X«^^^lra jW ?!k^^^^^^^^^| ^9 Plate 14, Cottage near Totes, Seine-Inferieure A typical thatched-roof cottage of Normandy with hedge in the foreground and background of slender poplars 25 to Plate 15. Farm cottage near Beaufay, Sarthe 29 31 Plate i8. Hamlet near L'Amaury, Seine-et-Oise Plate 19, Cottage near Amfreville, Eure 33 Plate 20. Farm at Bieville-en-Ange, Calvados Plate 21, Roadside cottage near Authon, Eure-et-Loir 35 Plate 22. Hamlet near Yerville, Seine Inferieure Plate 23. Cottage near Quievercourt, Seine Inferieure 37 39 41 !h ¦ cl.60O ¦n M o Q flo(D(33 O U H<: 43 Plate 27. An entrance to Montfort, Seine-et-Oise Plate 28, Village street, Montfort, Seine-et-Oise 45 47 4^ Plate 30. Cottage of Savigny, Manche A roadside cottage in thatch, which has blossomed forth in flowers along the ridges. The wall has evidently been patched out, but the old roof remains snug and pleasing in line Plate 31, Cottage near St, Jacques, Plojnb du Cantal The roof is of stone coveredjwith thatch, the walls of plastered and whitewashed stone Plate 32. Farmhouse at Marolles, Calvados Plate ^$. House in the Dordogne Valley 53 Plate 34, A southern village Plate 35. Cottage near Ste. Foy-la-Grande, Gironde Plate 36. Cottage near Bergerac, Dordogne 57 CHURCHES AND CHAPELS Somewhere in the vicinity of the chateaux of France there grew up villages where lived the peasants dependent on the great families for their hire. The chapel or church was built to fill the needs of these little communities and the surround ing district, sometimes forming one of the buildings of the chateau group proper, or else being near by at the cross-roads in the chateau hamlet, A Normandy type, of which Plates 38, 42, and 45 are good examples, is par ticularly interesting for gabled towers, a treatment capable of excellent and vari able proportions. The tower of the chapel near Brecy has a chunky, solid shape, that at Vaucelle a feeling of more taper and grace, while the tower of the chapel at Gratot reaches up to the sky like a lofty sentinel. The towers are placed at different points on the plans, over the crossing, astride the ridge, and at the en trance. Other examples would show the same freedom and variety. It is inter esting to note the impressiveness of these simple towers and their grace of line, the latter due for the most part to the proper use of battered sides. The window openings are minimum even in the belfry, lending a solidity to the massive walls. The texture of the gray stone walls and their proportions seem to be of sufficient value to give them architectural excellence. The battering of the walls in most cases made buttresses unnecessary from a constructive standpoint. The little chapel at Romorantin is very attractive in its setting, and in design represents simplicity itself; while the chateau chapel at Millangay, with its round- headed, white-trimmed windows, and truly Georgian cupola, seems very suggestive of our buildings of the Georgian period. Some stray influence created the church at Daoulas (Plate 43) with its very quaint and unusual gable and belfry of rather Belgian design. Plate 46 shows a very picturesque grouping of roofs — flat slate roofs with the roll-tile ridges. The interiors of these simple churches are not so worthy of comment. Except for the utter simplicity of their podged or plastered walls and the unadorned rafters and ties, grown gray with age, there is little to note. 59 Plate 37. Chapel at Romorantin, Loir-et-Cher Plate 38. Farm chapel near Brecy, Calvados 61 ¦ *i)^rf • ¦ "•¦ < 4 *'¦' •• * . , '• w^^B^^ *^ Jb. ':P%' v^ ?^J ? ? ' „ i » * >l* "¦' f 5; !w3 ? •¦¦•.. > . ^ jflr " ,',¦• ¦v. 63 65 ^-.-:n.t.:it^ A>.v ^N>-^-» Plate 42. Church at Vaucelle, Calvados Plate 43. Church at Daoulas, Finistere Plate 44. Pont Audemer, Eure Plate 45. Chapel at Chiteau Gratot, near Coutances, Manche 69 71 TOWN HOUSES The buildings included under this title are chiefly those of the smaller towns, although one or two houses included were found in cities, sometimes incongruously jammed between more pretentious and modern structures. The roof is considered a most important part of the design, as in the country, giving to the small old town the broken silhouette so usual in France, a picturesque medley of gabled, hipped, and mansard roofs, cut with dormers, crowned with finials, and broken with multitudinous chimney-pots. In many of the old towns the streets are narrow and cobbled, meandering up the natural slopes and often end ing in picturesque courts and "cul-de-sacs." In the old half-timbered towns these narrow streets, lined with the ancient stucco and wood houses, are fascinating in color, their grays and yellows set off with bright flowers in window-pots. But they are either difficult to photograph or much of the effect depends on the whole pleasantly jumbled mass and few of the individual houses present in themselves enough value to include. The lower or street floor, almost invariably flush with the cobbles of the street, is usually given over to a shop or more often a cafe, and the floor above to the quarters of the patron and his family. The interiors, save for the refreshing coolness and bright bebottled cupboards, present little of interest. The chief at tempt at architectural interest occurs in the carved dormers, turrets, corbels, in finials and in some instances in the elaborated carving of the timber of the whole facade. The majority of the half-timbered buildings are Gothic, the detail having a quaintness and piquancy seldom found in ecclesiastical work. Rarely is there any attempt whatsoever at symmetry; in fact, there seems to have been a com plete abhorrence of it, resulting in much picturesqueness. Some of the interest ing features of the subjects included are as follows: Plate 47 is a stone shop in Brittany with the chief interest centred in an elabor ately carved stone dormer; Plate 48 an early Gothic gable end with wide wall sur faces, heavily accented belt courses, and unusual double ogival curves over the windows; Plate 53 shows an interesting contrast between the narrow richly carved half-timbered house and the more simple and generous corner house adjacent to it. Brick and flint pattern work has been used on the gable end of the little house on Plate 59, the contrast between the salmon color of brick and weathered stone not being too strong in reality. That it is possible to obtain an excellent effect by simple means, is shown by Plate 6q, where plain wall surface, broken only in heavy courses of corbels, has 73 TOWN HOUSES been so proportioned that there is much charm in the effect. Note that in the building in Plate 62 the overhanging second-story porch is nicely carried on wood brackets, and below, that the openings have Gothic arches. On Plate 63 is an example of a symmetrical design which has been given an informal character by the materials themselves, buttered stone walls and irregular pan-tile roofing. The loggia is an interesting feature, Italian in character, with a beamed ceiling, though it has been unfortunately marred by modern window-sash. 74 75 Plate 48, House at Landerneau, Finistere Plate 49. House at Landerneau, Finistere Plate 50. Hotel des Trois Piliers, Landerneau, Finistere 79 Plate 51, House at Hennebont, Morbihan 81 83 Plate 53, Le Mans, Sarthe 85 Plate 54. On the ramparts, Mont St, Michel, Manche Plate 55, Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir 87 89 Plate 57. House at Compiegne, Oise 91 Plate 58. Old house at Mennetou-sur-Cher, Loir-et-Cher Plate 59. House at Verneuil, Eure 95 Plate bo. An old town house 97 Plate 6i, Restaurant at Etampes, Seine-et-Oise .M, ?^^m >*.¦ "^ex - Plate 62. House at Beaulieu, Correze o Plate 63. House at Couches-les-Mines, Saone-et-Loire o On Plate 64. House at Arnay-le-Duc, C6te-d'0r Plate 65. Pont Audemer, Eure o Plate 66. Caudebec-en-Caux, Seine-Inferieure Plate 67, House between church buttresses, La Charite, Nievre I09 Ill Plate 71, House at Arnay-le-Duc, Cote-d'Or 113 CHATEAUX, MANORS, AND FARM GROUPS The buildings illustrated in this chapter are those which through some pre tense of elegance or size cannot be classed as cottages or peasant buildings. They form themselves into three general groups: chateaux, manors, and the larger farms or farm groups. It is in these types that perhaps the more interesting studies of French rural architecture exist, for the fact that in them is discernible a more or less conscious attempt at a truly architectural design, differentiating them at once from the simpler dwellings, where the result, however attractive, has been arrived at by unconscious native artistry and the pleasant combination of local materials. The chateaux illustrated are few in number, for it has been our idea to avoid buildings of any great pretension, the ones included being the smaller ones in most cases. Chateau Gratot, on Plate 75, is just such a one, a group of buildings around a court, unsymmetrical except for the farm buildings flanking the entrance. The chateau is one of those early Normandy examples, quite mediaeval in every way. The Chateau Brecy, a Renaissance group, near Bayeux in Calvados, shown on Plates 116, 117, 118, and 119, is the most elaborate chateau that has been included. The buildings, however, are small and comparatively little known, though they form, with the gardens, an unusually complete and beautiful whole. The most interesting feature is the plan, owing to the use of the sloping site with a walled garden of ascending terraces, rising up to a richly ornamented gateway, which opens toward farm lands beyond. No element of symmetrical treatment has been omitted, except slight variations in the court facades of the farm buildings which flank the entrance-court. As may be seen from the plates, the stone detail of gateway, doorways, and other detail has been richly and beautifully carved. In the garden the wall treatment of the lowest terrace with Doric and Ionic pilasters, the arrangement of terraces, the detail of gates, steps, and walls, have been at tractively handled. Chateau le Pin (Plate 121) has well-proportioned and nicely composed facade, made lively with the contrasting bands, quoins, and panels of stone and brick. Note that the fenestration of the central pavillion is not symmetrical, and yet the result, judging from the photograph, has been insured thereby from being too dry. Plate 132 shows an interesting and original wrought-iron gateway, effective against the chateau beyond, which itself is rather good in mass and composition. The design of the chateau is attributed to J. H. Mansart. 115 CHATEAUX, MANORS, AND FARM GROUPS Chateau de St. Germain-de-Li vet (Plate 124) is a sixteenth-century building of composite architecture. The chateau proper has its wall in that colorful pattern of flint and salmon-pink bricks, very effective play of color resulting, if the eye is not distracted by too much of it at a time. Plate 125, a sketch of the Chateau de Cantepie, shows the original building with the towered pavillion of more modern design at the left rear, which has the style but not the character of the old portion. The facade in the sketch suggests a very excellent and clever treatment for a two-and-a-half-story house, the breaking of the eaves over the second-story windows and under the dormers serving to tie the composition together in an attractive manner. Note the use of high finials at the peak of the dormer roofs. Manors, smaller than chateaux as a rule and more pretentious than simple farmhouses, are scattered throughout the length and breadth of France. They were built after the passing of Feudalism by the more prosperous independent farmers who, without being of noble birth, had yet more position and wealth than the peasants. It is in this type of building that many fine examples exist, for a definite attempt at design has been made without the more formal pretensions of a chateau. The buildings usually are several: a main dwelling and farm buildings flanking a court, detached or connected with a masonry wall, as well as an entrance- lodge or gateway and other isolated buildings, such as pigeon-houses or well- houses. The use of the court wall tends to tie the whole together and has brought about many interesting effects. Such a result is illustrated on Plate 72, where the wall between the flanking farm buildings has been carried the full height of the building wall. The continuity of the eave-line is largely accountable for the pleasing result. The encircling wall of the manor near Demigny, also shown on Plate 154, has been capped with tile roofing. Note the main arched entrance for farm vehicles and the smaller entrance at the side for pedestrians. The manor near Libourne (Plates 151, 152, 153) is of the southern or Italian type. On account of the thick trees set about it and on the garden terrace it was almost impossible to photograph. The raised grass terrace enclosed with a balus trade and bordered with a moat is the most attractive and unusual feature. There are four big hnden-trees on the terrace, spaced carefully in relation to the terrace and house, which add much interest to the garden side of the building. The garden-house near Hennebont, on Plates 74 and 76, overlooks the Blaret River. The loggia treatment with brackets to the garden-wall, the quaint mansard roof, overhanging dormer roofs, and little tower make a very pleasing composition. The farmhouse at St. Pierre-le-Viger, shown on Plates 83 and 114, is an exam ple of the larger type of farm that has numerous buildings connected by a wall forming a very large court planted with an orchard of fruit-trees. Though the buildings are not symmetrical in mass or location, there is an axis line established 116 CHATEAUX, MANORS, AND FARM GROUPS through the entrance-gates and the main farm residence, and the planting of the trees has been balanced on this axis. The farmhouse at Esclarelles, on Plate 85, shows an unusual beaver-tail roof, which carries down close to the ground! The farmhouse, on Plate 90, has a good treatment of mass for a sloping site and shows the frieze-board usual in that locality over the windows, and a rather typical open shed for vehicles. In the farm group, on Plate 95, is a good example of the farm- court, beyond the entrance-pavilion, with the flanking sheds and farmhouses, barns, etc, forming the other sides of the square. There is something well knit and at the same time picturesque about these groups. The manor at Arques-la-Bataille (Plates 97 and 156) is the rather well-known Normandy manor, where the stable shown on the plate is almost a replica of the main dwelling, separated from it by a garden. The stepped gables and nicely fenestrated facades have been enlivened by the judicious use of flint inserts in pat tern and bands. Another example of such ornamentation of brickwork is shown on Plate 99, the inserts in the cornice having more lively decorative effect than true modillions. On Plate 105 is an example of brick set to form quoins and bands, while Plate 106 shows an all-over wall pattern. The farm building near St. Leger (Plate III) is interesting for its roof and mass, the photograph unfortunately being valuable on that account only. Plates 112, 113, and 115 give a very good idea of the half-timber work of Normandy, showing it to be truly structural. The farm near Gourdon, in the province of Lot, Plate 145, has a very interest ing towered building for the residence of the farmer, while the sheds and barns have been tied into the house with a long ridged roof whose eaves hug the ground. Plate 144 shows the use of glazed tile in patterns on the roof, the ridge-lines set off with white cement. 117 119 tJ UlllllllU I • Plate 73. Pigeon-house, manor near Demigny, Saone-et-Loire 123 Plate 75. Chateau Gratot, near Coutances, Manche Itti yi^: t ;^ V ¦,.:¦¦ hI^^ \ HfeJ^ . fIS \ > % -_ l^^m>- t mife^^ r^B^^baSsm^^^^. 1 ^g A ^''"- *^^^ I'a.v " ^^^^H ^^^H i^S^ ' ^..a^^iBBB WSk ^%»»ii B^^^^^^^^K '^ -^ .-^i^^tHMBilHl ^^H m- '^¦''^' *^-,,=. 1 ^^"S^ %,:.-. :.m.. J': ¦'-. ' ^^^ >i:'.^ •v^3hB Sms^^I :/,:%:% ili|'>- "*¦.¦., iHib «^m-^ rn k ' ¦IP 7& ^^^:: ¦ *. ¦¦. ,¦' ''" •7-^!'\7'' , ¦ -"'-"i ^ ¦"'^ -^;ji^^^ ^y^T^t, ..iL.JiH 7^- ^-• ' '¦ ^ I j^P^Hn^« l^c^ M f%^;^ a^Jra^^r /«*t* !?*¦ ij^yjM^^^lMBfciir^l ^^^^m§^::u,,^'r-::.!!mm: ^^¦'-¦^-;:^^ij';j;. 'Wmm?'^-'"'- ^ Plate 95. Farm group near Neufchatel, Seine-Inferieure Plate 96. Horse farm near Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir 151 Plate 97, Manor stables at Arques-la-Bataille, Seine-Inferieure Plate 98, Manor at Esclarelles, Seine-Inferieure 153 Plate 99. Manor at Croixdalle, Seine-Inferieure Plate 100. Inn near Bourdamville, Seine-Inferieure 155 Plate ioi, Chclteau de Bemecourt, Eure Plate 102, Sixteenth-century manor, Monteille, Calvados 157 Plate 103. Gateway, Manoir d'Ango, Varengeville, Seine-Inferieure Plate 104. Entrance to courtyard, Manoir d'Ango, VarengevUle, Seine-Inferieure 159 Plate 105. Farmhouse near Yerville, Seine-Inferieure Plate 106. Manor near Lintot, Seine-Inferieure 161 0^ Plate 107, Manor at Omverville, Seine-et-Oise Plate io8. Stables near Brecy, Calvados Plate 109. Farmyard near Brecy, Calvados 165 Plate nc. Farmyard, St, Jean-de-Follerville, Seine-Inferieure Plate hi. Farm building near St. Leger, Saone-et-Loire 167 Plate 112. Farmyard near Brezolles, Eure-et-Loir Plate 113. Stable near Brezolles, Eure-et-Loir 169 Plate 114. Farmhouse at St. Pierre-le-Viger, Seine-Inferieure Plate 115, Farm building near Brezolles, Eure-et-Loir 171 ¦*7y^'„»>. .-r-::^'''-:rr^n,:: ¦x;;,!),,^ Syvrj^;^j^C6' coifMT 7/icyiDe i- CTiAre^i/ oe: sxecr Plate ii6. Entrance court fafade, Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados Plate 117, Entrance, Ch&teau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados 55?^ .Xy^o -¦ ^&' :, zoo yjfi^ef J^^s,_ Plate ii8. General plan of Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados 177 Plate 119. Chateau de Brecy, near Bayeux, Calvados 1^>. -^^ri-P- iif Plate 120. Farm near St. Leger, Saone-et-Loire 179 / /¦ f .-#?•; %mmi :i7^' Mn\7i ^--wL \ M ft s s s i8i 00 Plate 122. Stables of the Chateau Cheverny oo Ln Plate 123. Stable building, Chateau du Bouissard, near Brezolles 00 Plate 124, Chateau de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, Calvados 00 Plate 125. Chateau de Cantepie-Lisieux ^ Plate 126, Entrance to Chateau at Couchey, C6te-d'0r Plate 127, Stable yard, MiUangay, Loir-et-Cher pmut' Plate 128. Farmhouse at Monthelon, Saone-et-Loire Plate 129. Farmhouse near Le Neubourg, Eure Plate 130. Farmhouse at Monthelon, Sa6ne-et-Loire 195 ¦;%P:. '5!^I^#C¥^^ Plate 131. Chateau near MiUangay, Loir-et-Cher Plate 132, Horse-farm courtyard near Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir 197 3 u 3 CIS