Interior Inspiration: the French manor house owned by Hubert de Givenchy
Two and half hours’ drive southwest of Paris, just outside the quaint commune of Romilly-sur-Aigre in the Loire Valley, sits the stately historic listed Manoir du Jonchet, which dates back to the 16th century. It’s been reimagined several times in its nearly 500 years of existence: once in the 18th century by an architect of the French king, after extensive damage in the 1950s, and most recently and notably by Hubert de Givenchy, founder of the eponymous couture and perfume house, and Philippe Vanet, fellow designer and his partner of 65 years, who together acquired the property in the early 1970s and lived there until Givenchy’s death in 2018.
Hubert de Givenchy gained a reputation during the 50s Parisian fashion scene as an innovator. His earliest collection employed simple cotton shirting to fashion separates in unexpected silhouettes (he was just 25 years old at the time and had to stretch a small budget). Before long, he was designing the wardrobes of Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, and a host of other celebrities. We have him to thank for the iconic little black dress Audrey wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
From the first impression, it’s evident that Givenchy applied the same spirit of innovation and impeccable eye for detail that made him a household name in fashion, to his vision for Manoir du Jochet. The chateau feels both grand and lived-in, its style undeniably French and yet globally-inspired. An impressive labyrinth of boxwood hedges and topiary, modeled after the parterre at the monastery of San Giorgio in Venice, neatly adorns the central courtyard.
Elsewhere, the estate boasts a rose garden designed by Bunny Mellon, an American horticulturist and philanthropist who was a friend of Givenchy’s. A Mediterranean-inspired
private chapel was envisioned to remind the couple of happy vacations spent in Greece and Italy. Perhaps unexpectedly, above the home’s main entryway, a trio of bronzed deer “trophies” greet visitors. The deer or stag carried personal symbolism for Givenchy, as his namesake, St. Hubert, is the patron saint of hunters. Givenchy carried the stag motif throughout the home, where no detail was overlooked, down to the custom stag-engraved goblets created by Italian handmade glass designer (and one of our favorites), Barovier & Toso that add just the right amount of sparkle to a collected tablescape in the dining room, where the 18th century Chinese wallpaper is the star.
The chateau also houses a great deal of antiques and art all individually sourced by the designer. Louis XV chairs beautifully contrast modern works by Diego Giacometti and white linen sofas and armchairs, plus rattan pieces. Collage art created by Givenchy and Vanet themselves offsets 17th and 18th century bronze and marble sculpture. Each corner of the home seems to be a camera-ready composition, and yet naturally so. Nothing seems forced.
After spending some time getting to know the property, we almost wonder whether Givenchy may have been an even more talented interior designer and landscape architect than he was a couturier. Manoir du Jochet is said to be his favorite of all his homes, and it’s here that we can fully appreciate his eye for artfully and seamlessly bringing together a mix of styles to create sometime uniquely his own.
Shop the story
Words by Kristin Hood & photo credits: François Halard, Dylan Thomas and Pablo Zamora.
