French Brocante comes to Atlanta!

For those of you who have ever had the opportunity to travel to France and visit some of the wonderful Brocantes ( flea markets), you'll quickly notice the similarity to our just recently held Brocante in Atlanta. For 2 days we enjoyed eating French food, listening to classical European music and visiting with some of our favorite customers as they shopped with us as if they were in a fabulous French Market! A huge turn out, a great time was had by all...so that we'll all be back again...by private appointment or during our French Brocante held to the Trade Only every month. If you're also a dealer, or interior designer, and plan to visit Atlanta on your next shopping spree. Please let us show off our treasures! Email anytime for directions and appointments! .......

myfrenchchateau@aol.com . These are just a few of the treasures as we move everything out of our humble warehouse before the masses arrived! Tres chic and tres FUN!... BIENVENUE MES AMIS!!!
We are taking August off for a well deserved Vacation and buying trip!

Some of My Favorite Pix of France!

GIVERNY- Le Fondation Claude Monet

No visit to Paris can be considered complete without a short trip to the countryside to Giverny - the famous and final home of French Impressionist, Claude Monet.

Inspirational, relaxing and beautifully breathtaking! First you enter through the pink crushed brick house where Monet and his family lived from 1883- 1926. The very country yellow dining room, the delightful blue and white kitchen all give an insight into the life of one of most well known and beloved artist. One cannot say his name without beautiful images running through your mind. Poppy fields, waterlilies, and hay stacks, oh my!

Next wander into a gardener's dream, also known as the gardens. Replanted as they were in Monet's time. A riot of color! And the wonder of all... the Water Garden! A tributary of the Epte- shaded by weeping willows, and you can actually walk across the famous Japanese Bridge. I was not the only visitor with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes, just to see for myself what my favorite artist might have seen- to stand were his easel might have been and to stroll in his footsteps. A dream come true!

Next wander over to his studio next door which contains the Foundation Shop. There's a delightful cafe and a seed shop too.

From Paris by train via Gare St. Lazare, get off at Vernon and take the city bus or taxi to Giverny. They are open everyday except Mondays April 1 - October 31. 9:30 - 6pm. Bon voyage!!!

For the Wine Lover.... a GRAPE idea !

Find Antique and Vintage accessories from France for your Bar or Wine Cave!

Visit the Chateau!

www.myfrenchchateau.com

Enjoy a Slide Show of some of My Favorite Treasures!

Bonjour de Paris!

Bienvenue from Paris!

I have just completed 5 days of non stop buying! Whew! With so many wonderful markets going on at once, it was hard to know where to go first! Though cloudy everyday, the rain managed to hold off until my very last day, oh well, time to go back to the hotel and pack. A wonderful time, lots of fabulous finds! I even managed to enjoy, some yummy foie gras, frommage, jambon, du pain au chocolate, confit de carnard, and of course the mandatory bottle du vin rouge!!!

Part are the bounty is currently being offered this week on the website. http://www.myfrenchchateau.com/ . The rest will be coming in, hopefully by the end of the month. Quite a few beautiful paintings, statues, books, petite bamboo armoires, tole pieces, just to name a few! So stop by the Chateau for a visit soon, before all of the treasures are history!

ENGLISH ANTIQUE FAIR

Bonjour and Cheers!

I have just returned from Jolly ole England and an intensive 2-day Antique Fair near London...yes, earthquake and all! Beautiful weather and some fabulous treasures from France, Italy, and England as well!

I'll be listing all of these items during the first week of March! So stop by the Chateau

for some fun shopping! Cheers! http://www.myfrenchchateau.com/

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

...from our Chateau to yours!

Make it a sweetheart of a day no matter what you do!

Shipments pack into the Warehouse!

We've started the 2008 New Year off with the excitement of two huge shipments arriving within two weeks of each other! One group of treasures have just been listed with another group expected to listed on the website by the last week in January! Whew! It's like Christmas morning all over again!

So stop by for a look...www.myfrenchchateau.com

Bonnes Fetes mes Amis!

Wishing each and every one of you the Happiest of Holidays and a Safe and Successful 2008!

Merci, Lee

Along the Grand Canal - VENICE!

A Gondola ride down the big canal can be one of the most romantic expericences for a heart of any age. For me, it was also an inspiration! The colors, the lighting, a photo at every turn! I was invited to watch artists as they sat and painstakingly created the famous Carnival Papier Mache masks! Watched glass blowers on Murano Island create chandeliers. Had gondolas velvet slippers made for my little sore feet. And eat my weight in yummy pasta, delightful wines, and not to mention the totally to die for geleto! Check back to the website in late July for some of the Italian treasures I brought back just for you! Ciao bella!

SHIPMENTS ARE STARTING TO ARRIVE!!!!

Tres bien!!! The first of the shipments from France and England, from my last buying trip have started to arrive! Check out the latest additions on the website! More will be coming in about 2 weeks, with the largest shipment in early June!
www.myfrenchchateau.com

The Golden Age of Hotel Silver!

Longing for the days of the Golden Age of Travel? Where one dressed up to travel the glamorous ocean liners, air planes and trains. And dining was just as elegant! Not everything has gone the way of high tech and disposable.... and you can easily have it in your own home!
As we move in more fast paced circles, Hotel Silver has also growing in popularity, as a reminder of days gone by. Dinner at the Ritz, sailing on the QEII......
Flatware, platters, bowls, domes and Champagne buckets, just to name a few items used by the famous hotels, trains, ocean liners used what we classify as Hotel Silver. It is the very heavy and highly plated serving items made for elegant but constant use. Most are much simpler in design than the silver plate we use at home. with usually just the insignia stamped on the edges. Heavier too, as it is made from a triple - plated base of nickel rather than copper or brass, so it will stand up to the years of commercial use. Most items date from the early to mid 1900's.
Hotel Silver will have a few nicks or dents from all of the years of use, but will also have a "whiter" look than sterling since it is plated with almost 100% silver. But taking care of it is so much easier....just wash in hot soapy water until the next time it's called into action! So you can use it everyday!
Visit http://www.myfrenchchateau.com/ for a lovely selection of Hotel Silver platters that you can use too. And take back the glamour of days gone by!

Brittany Boxes

From the Northern Province of France, the area of Brittany has long been a source and inspiration for one of the most collectible items in home furnishings! The typical Brittany old Farm House design was for used for decorating furniture of all shapes and sizes. In turn, these furnishings were reproduced in miniature for traveling salesmen's samples in the late 1800's.
Here, you can see just a few examples of the boxes, chairs, and cabinets...all in miniature!
The typical Carved Wagon Wheel design is surrounded by carved and pressed floral designs, turned open balusters and shell motifs. Boxes are usually made of dark Oak and stained even darker.

While a charming and useful accessory for decorating, it is not unusual to find collectors with hundreds of these lovely boxes! At My French Chateau, I have trouble keeping any in stock! And have standing orders from customers who buy all that I find on buying trips! Start your collection today too!

Let a Plate tell you a Story!

French transferware plates were quite often an editorial commentary as well as a look into the lives of both royalty and common folk! Whether the theme is about political issues, sporting, or society, each plate depicts a charming caricature of the era.
The story is told in traditionally black on creamy white with a decorative and one color border of various designs. Popularly manufactured by factories such as Luneville, Choisy and Sarregumines .These historical pottery plates date back to late 1800's to the early 1900's.They generally measure in sizes of 6 to 10 inches across.
Whether you choose a pair or an entire collection, these delightful plates make a wonderful decorative addition to any room! Be sure to visit the Chateau for a wonderful variety of plates offered! www.myfrenchchateau.com