Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Just outside of Paris, there is a 17th-century château that sits on a 280-acre estate. Château de Wideville, as it is known, belongs to renown fashion designer Valentino Garavani, who has owned the eight-bedroom château since 1995. Distinguished interior decorator Henri Samuel was given the task of making the space comfortable yet regal. What resulted was an Asian-Inspired wonderland, which according to Valentino, was accomplished by both men working together on every room. His love for China having begun two years prior, in 1993, when the designer visited Beijing for the first time.

Since retiring in 2008 the designer now spends several months a year here, entertaining friends and hosting events and benefits. Valentino’s favourite place at Wideville is the château’s winter garden, with its vaulted ceilings and French doors leading out to the topiary garden …

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Above, the winter garden, with its vaulted ceilings and French doors leading to the topiary garden at the back of the house.

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Above, the winter garden, inside the main house, with its Chinese floral panels.

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Above, the pigeonnier, a separate structure on the property originally used to raise doves.

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Above, inside the pigeonnier.

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Above, inside the pigeonnier.

At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson
At Home With | Places: Valentino Garavani’s Château de Wideville, France
Photography by Simon Watson

Left, a glimpse inside the pigeonnier, a structure originally built to raise doves. The tower is now a quiet place where Valentino escapes to read, listen to music, and think about his latest design projects.

Credits

Photos by Simon Watson for Architectural Digest, originally posted on September 30, 2012