The terraced hillsides, rocky capes, and secluded coves of the French Riviera provide some of the world's most spectacular garden settings, and its delightful climate has drawn legendary figures in the arts, literature, and international society since the eighteenth century. In this beautifully designed volume, Louisa Jones turns her gardening and literary talents to the magnificent gardens of the French Riviera, some beloved by visitors for over a century, but most private and hitherto unphotographed. The author's love of plants and gardening really shines through in the text that weaves history, charming anecdotes, and a detailed description of the gardens and plants featured, from the Rothschild villa to the rustic vigor of a well-tended olive grove. Abundantly illustrated with stunning photographs by Vincent Motte, and complete with a list of gardens to visit as well as a buyer's guide to the best nurseries and plant suppliers in the region, Gardens of the French Riviera is a marvelous gift for any garden lover planning to visit the South of France.

In this irresistible marriage of watercolorist’s sketchbook and traveler’s guide, Virginia Johnson lovingly captures the magic of one of the world’s most storied regions, the French Riviera. We walk the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Shop for handmade sandals at Rondini in Saint-Tropez. Visit the Madoura workshop in Antibes, where Picasso discovered his genius for pottery. Meet legendary characters like Pierre Gruneberg, a swimming instructor who taught Jean Cocteau, Brigitte Bardot, Paul McCartney, and many others. Saturated with the limpid colors of sea and sun, the dazzling greens of verdant gardens, and the rose and ochre of sunbaked villas and joyous with paisleys and blue-striped sailor’s shirts and the riotous look of a patisserie window filled with confections, Travels Through the French Riviera is a gift book of visual wonder, the souvenir every Francophile will want. But it is also a quirky yet singularly useful travel guide, whether showing how to order coffee like a local, plan a beach day at Menton, or hike the Cap Ferrat peninsula or where to taste the best ice cream in Antibes (at Amarena—try the mint).

Discover a luxurious wine château and private residence in the south of France designed by the innovative architecture firm OITOEMPONTO. Near the glittering coast of the French Riviera, surrounded by a luscious cru classé vineyard, OITOEMPONTO architects oversaw the renaissance of Château Saint-Maur de Cogolin through an assiduous, four-year renovation. Using refined materials, they created a sumptuous and relaxing oasis that combines art, signature design pieces, and a sense of harmony both inside and outside the château. This volume traces the renovation, from initial watercolor sketches and photographs--reproduced here on offset paper--through to the finished private family residence. This exquisitely illustrated volume takes readers on an intimate tour of the immense reception rooms, bedrooms and suites, entertainment areas, and secret chambers in the vast 17,000-square-foot château. This reinvention into a splendid reception space of incomparable charm is the residence's most luxurious incarnation to date.

From the "bastides " of Provence to the affluent gardens along the Riviera, this book unfolds an entirely new vista of garden designs, images, and experiences. The over 500 illustrations, including 375 in full color, depict a rich and fascinating area of France where gardens have been at the center of social life for centuries.These are contrasting types of gardens - the provencal "bastides " dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries retain the geometrical character of Renaissance gardens, while the garden culture of the coastal enclaves softens lines and forms with recollections of romantic Italy and Victorian England, and exploits the possibilities of luxuriant trees and shrubs. Yet these opposite types are united by their various responses to the challenges of a shared cluster of microclimates.Sections of the book that discuss the social, economic, and climatic conditions of the area are followed by detailed and illustrated entries on 50 individual gardens. Each is described along with its history, and both plants and features such as fountains, statuary, and pergolas are itemized. A plan of each garden, accompanied by numerous views, makes this section of fundamental importance to the history of French gardens and - since many late nineteenth and early twentieth century gardens on the Riviera were created by international designers like Ferdinand Bac and Harold Peto - to the literature of modern garden history.Michel Racine is an architect for the Ministry of Housing. He and his coauthors Ernest Boursier-Mougenot and Francoise Binet are founding members of the Association for the Art of Landscapes and Gardens.

The gardens of the Italian Lakes are a favourite destination for garden lovers and groups. The gardens around Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, in the far north of Italy, are admired throughout the world for their beauty and variety in a magnificent natural location. This book sets out to become the standard work on these gardens as there is nothing of this kind on the market at the moment. It will appeal both to the specialist and enthusiast preparing for a visit. The common factor for all these gardens is their setting in this landscape of exceptional scenery. Lake Como is a deep lake hemmed in like a fjord by towering mountains. Lake Maggiore has more the character of an inland sea, with ferries crossing to the famous island gardens for an afternoon in another world. Both lakes are lined with the towers, villas and grand hotels that speak of a complex history including key events in Italy's struggle to achieve nationhood, inspiration for a string of illustrious writers and composers, and a long line of distinguished visitors. The gardens include: Villa Melzi, Bellagio: an early 19th-century romantic park on the lake shore Villa Carlotta, Cadenabbia: a terraced 17th-century property with woodland Villa del Balbianello, Lenno: a famously picturesque loggia Villa D'Este, Cernobbio: a 16th-century cascade garden with royal connections Villa Cicogna Mozzoni, Bisuschio: an intact 16th-century villa garden Villa Della Porta Bozzolo, Casalzuigno: a rural baroque garden Isola Bella, Stresa: a well-known island garden Isola Madre, Stresa: an island retreat of flowers and birds Villa San Remigio, Pallanza: an Edwardian garden made by two lovers Villa Taranto, Pallanza: one of the world's great woodland gardens

A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings? ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.

Glamor and indolence of life in the South of France as seen through Wharton's gaze.