In 1979 Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought a nineteenth-century house—Chateau Gabriel—near Deauville in Normandy— several miles east from where Marcel Proust himself used to vacation from 1907 to 1914.  The house was originally built by Ernest Saintin for a wealthy American in 1874 in a style reminiscent of grandeur of the Second Empire. The couple spent three years renovating it and subsequently hired the legendary Jacques Grange to re-create the aura of a country home where Proust’s characters from Remembrance of Things Past passed their summers.  Everything in the house bears symbolism of Proust including the winter garden that was modeled after that of Princesse Mathilde Bonaparte which he used to frequent. Furthermore, all nine bedrooms have been appointed to reflect sensibilities of each character of the novel. Jacques Grange was rumored to have gone through several kilometers of draped silk taffeta in the process of decorating.

The estate has several buildings, one of which resembles Russian dacha and is built entirely out of birchwood—an inspiration that came after Saint Laurent’s trip to Russia in 1987.

Chateau Gabriel was purchased during Yves Saint Laurent’s self-inflicted confinement and disappearance from the public eye. He used the house as a retreat, spending days in solitude, luxuriating in lush gardens and contemplating the ending of 1970s. To this day, Chateau Gabriel embodies the very essence of luxury, decadence and designer’s exquisite taste.

Last February, the estate was purchased by the family of Russian tycoon for 9.6 million euros.
As a second part of Christie’s auction of Saint Laurent’s extensive collection of art and antiques, the estate will be open to art connoisseurs on November 17-18 where the select few will be able to experience the unique spirit of the iconic couturier.

Photos of the estate can be found at: http://www.luxuryculture.com/home.html?gotourl=LN/features/0000443/luxury-now/homage

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