Nestled in the quaint countryside of Normandy stands the regal Château de Champ de Bataille, home to world-renowned interior designer, Jacques Garcia. As a young boy, he visited many chateaux, including the Château de Champ de Bataille, which forty years later he evolved into one of his greatest successes. Surrounded by one of the largest private gardens that was inspired by the designs of André Lenôtre and blossomed under Garcia's watchful eye and prolific mind, Champ de Bataille is a tangible representation of this man, his beliefs, and the depth of his creative talents.
As an only child to parents of modest means, it was his father, a talented, but unrealized artist in his own right, that sparked the first flame in Garcia to pursue a career in design. At an early age, Garcia began to accompany his parents to Paris flea markets and second hand shops, igniting a curiosity that led to a deep interest and understanding of French design. His mother, who nurtured and encouraged her son's creative talents, kept the family firmly grounded in the present and provided Garcia with a steadfast determination to succeed at everything he tried.
"The affection I received from my parents forged an invisible yet invulnerable shield for me," explained Garcia. "The intense love that warmed me within the family cocoon enabled me later on in life to confront every problem with the solidity of a rock. In the last analysis, my energy has its source in the tenderness of a genuinely happy childhood."*
It was as if Garcia had prepared his whole life for the seemingly insurmountable task of resurrecting the remains of the chateau that would become today's Champ de Bataille. Built in the 17th century by one of the principle architects of Versailles, Garcia took the tattered and torn Grand Dame and began a ten-year process of bringing Champ de Bataille back to its former glory.
Purchased by Garcia in 1992, it remains a heartfelt work-in-progress, every detail addressed by Garcia, with no facet too small to receive his ministrations. Filled with objets d'art, Champ de Bataille displays the full range of Garcia's talent, its drawing rooms, galleries, game rooms, and libraries reflecting a blending of genres that speak to his rare talent.
Subject of many published and filmed works, Champ de Bataille is a museum that lives and breathes, home to Garcia and his beloved dogs, which are always at his heels. A standing testament to his great love for all that is French - now and for the centuries that have yet to play out.
* Jacques Garcia Decorating in the French Style by Franck Ferrand, Flammarion Paris 1999.
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