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Dominique Lafourcades, French country houses, Garden pergola, Interior Designer Ginny Magher, Provence gardens, Provence restoration, Provence terrace
Originally from the South West of France, Bruno Lafourcade
founded his business specializing in the restoration of
old properties in 1968. Awarded the 1st national prixe for his
restoration of a XVII castle in Périgord, he restores farmhouses,
Country Manors, Castles, Hotels, Wineries…
Bruno and his son Alexandre, both architects, lead the
restoration teams while wife/mother Dominique, an artist who
has gained recognition for her Mediterranean influenced gardens,
focuses on landscape.
Atlanta Interior designer Ginny Magher used the Lafourcades
for the restoration of her eighteenth century farmhouse,
Le Mas de Baraquet, and it’s grounds, near St- Rémy de Provence.
Situated above the flat windswept plains of Camargue, low
fields of hay splay out beyond the wide terraces. “These are
the Alpilles, the dividing line between the Provence of olive
groves and peach orchards, chic villages and towns,
such as St-Rémy de Provence, and the scruffier, wilder
and emptier flatlands to the south…”
A broad terrace alongside the blue shuttered house
is shaded by plane trees providing an opportune
venue for lunch…
“When I first saw the site, 12 years ago, I immediately envisaged
a long pergola leading off the terrace on to the new garden, ”
Dominique recalls. “I was looking for strong vertical elements
with a horizontal continuum that would link the formal box
garden, closest to the house, the rose garden that Ginny wanted
to create and the longer, larger swimming-pool garden, which
would merge with the enclosing arm of the mountain.”
A traditional box-edged rose garden, paved by aged brick,
framed by hedges of Viburnum tinus, surrounds
a stone and iron armillary sphere…
The pergola is smothered in roses, honeysuckle and wisteria and
acts as a corridor connecting the terrace to the formal rose garden
and swimming pool…
A huge stone morter set on low stone table and a
grouping of green armchairs conjures up a lazy afternoon
enjoying the view of harvesting in the golden fields of
high summer…
“Flat farmland stretches away to the Camargue,
across a fragrant expanse of lavender”
“Tightly clipped box hedging swirls around neatly shaped cypress
and olive trees below the sheer limestone cliff face that
rises behind the house“
To the east of the house, the approach is framed
by old Aleppo pines, oleander and cypress trees…
the craggy mountainside rising up sharply behind…
Four giant plane trees shade the wide, south facing terrace
British House and Gardens magazine Sept. ’09
Kristy Fergusson
Photography Clive Nichols
Lafourcade Architecture click for website, photos
For interior shots visit Miss Kris Studio (posted on June 4) here
For more photos of Les Alpilles and the Camargue
Trish,
Bruno Lafourcade is one of my favorite architects!
Greet
This restoration is nothing but pure magic. Ginny Magher’s choice of subject then touched by the artistry of the Lafourcade family has produced a stunning result.
~Jermaine~
Simply stunning!
beautiful! I love going to their website just to look around – stunning pictures always! how talented are they?
Absolutely beautiful ~ thank you Trish, so much for sharing.
Also many thanks for your kind and comforting words for my family, at this time.
This is very much appreciated.
Hugs
Carolyn
Bonjour Trish~
I am entraced with the Lafourcade Teams talent! Your post was sooo imformative, Lovely! Now only if we could book a tour on all their lovely renovations…oooo what a trip that would be! HEAVENLY!!! Right?
Thank you for the mention also!
~Miss Kris~
I am so impressed that your post in June was gleaned from magazines as far back as 1999…I am in awe! A tour sounds great. Though I misread you at first and though you suggested a book of their restorations…that would be lovely also.
Hello Trysh…Thanks for your charming comment in MY BLOG (toiledejouy.blogspot)…and I want to say …TROVAIS…is a luxury for me…..Gorgeous…..I see YOUR BLOG all the days….. ¡¡¡¡¡ Berta
this is amazing. what a wonderful thing….to be involved in this magnificent home’s restoration.
breathtaking vistas.
the images are so inspiring, it makes me want to paint again.
Absolutely breathtaking!
Thank you!
Penelope
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Hi Trish, lovely post. May I pick up a photo or two, write a caption and then link to you for the rest of the story? I’m talking about for my blog, ProvencePost.com. I’d like to do this quickly, today…tomorrow….? Thanks much! –Julie
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
Just beautiful! You have fabulous taste!
Leanna
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