The Muette pavilion, a former hunting lodge
In the heart of the forest, among the trees, a long trail that can be walked on horseback leads to a property full of charm. Back in the past, we are (almost) in the 18th century. In the heart of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Louis XV made a very special order here to one of his faithful architects, Ange-Jacques Gabriel. This building is a small country residence intended for the king, a hunting lodge where he and his guests come to spend a few days. The Pavilion of the Muette, aka the Petit Trianon of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, is a nod to the work of Versailles.
A place abandoned for 60 years
This royal structure, located a few meters from the Château de Maisons-Laffitte, was classified as a historical heritage site for the city of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1921. Left empty for about sixty years, it was, in 2019, little more than ruins . The original facade was dressed in concrete, the floors and ceilings of each floor were in danger of collapse. Nothing lived in this pavilion, once visited by the greatest nobility of France, from Louis XV to Louis XVI through Napoleon I. Even a natural crisis raged there, the dry rot fungus damaged everything in its path, attacking the wood and gnawing away at the stones. From the basement to the second floor, she was nourished by the beauty of the place.
“Conservatives and Storytellers”
It’s been five years since two real estate investors joined forces to restore this place to its historic values. Considerable wealth was put on the table to restore this place: “the urgency was to save the pavilion from irreversible decay”, witness Emmanuel Basse and Benoit d’Halluin. Ready to board the space-time to find the abandoned jewel: “We are the link in a great chain”, the two owners agree. The craftsmen are carefully selected: the Compagnons du Devoir, the company Perrot & Richard, Mathieu Lustrerie…” We have only called on restorers who have already been involved in important projects such as the Grand Palais, Place Vendôme… or Notre-Dame. »