Maison
Monument
Maison, located in Collonges-sous-Salève (Département 74), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Collonges-sous-Salève, Département 74, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 46.1382, 6.1443
- Mérimée Reference
- PA74000003
A country house built in 1677 on the outskirts of Geneva, it contains exceptional Cantonese Chinese wallpaper from the 1780s - a rare testimony to the taste of the Enlightenment for the Orient.
History
Nestling in the village of Collonges-sous-Salève, at the foot of the limestone massif that marks the border between Haute-Savoie and Switzerland, this 17th-century country house is one of those bourgeois residences that have survived the centuries without losing their soul. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2000, it is the perfect embodiment of the discreet refinement of the aristocracy and upper middle classes of Geneva and Savoie, who were quick to take up residence in the sunny hills of the Salève in the summer. What really sets this house apart in the regional heritage landscape is the exceptional quality of its interiors. Visitors crossing the threshold of the ground floor enter a remarkably intact neo-classical decorative ensemble: sculpted door tops, period corner units and carefully preserved wood panelling make up a late 18th-century décor of rare coherence. Every detail bears witness to the care taken by successive owners to maintain the harmony of the premises. But the absolute jewel of the house is in the north lounge, which is entirely wallpapered with Chinese wallpaper from a workshop in Canton, dating from the late 1780s. In the eighteenth century, this type of decoration, handmade on assembled sheets of rice paper, was a real luxury and a symbol of Europe's fascination with China and the Far East. The vivid colours - exotic birds, peonies, bamboo branches - contrast with the sober exterior of the building, creating a surprise effect that never fails to capture the visitor's attention. The visitor experience is one of preserved intimacy, far from the crowds that invade the region's great châteaux. The setting of Collonges-sous-Salève, with its panoramic views over the Geneva basin and the Alps, adds an unforgettable landscape dimension to the discovery of this characterful residence.
Architecture
The house at Collonges-sous-Salève is in the tradition of the country residences of the Bas-Genevois, characterised by a balance between sober functionality and bourgeois elegance. The main building, constructed in 1677 and extended in the early 18th century, has a simple, well-proportioned massing, typical of provincial classicism at the end of the Grand Siècle. The local materials - probably Salève molasse limestone and lime rendering - blend harmoniously into the landscape of the Alpine foothills. The interior layout reveals the conception of a well-to-do pleasure house: the reception rooms occupy the ground floor, carefully laid out around the performance areas. The dining room features a remarkable late 18th-century neo-classical ensemble of carved door tops and corner units, reflecting the influence of Parisian models disseminated by books of engravings and travelling craftsmen. The wood panelling, the proportions of the openings and the treatment of the ceilings all contribute to a decorative coherence of the highest quality. The north drawing room is the absolute masterpiece of the residence. Its walls are entirely covered with Chinese wallpaper produced in Canton in the last years of the eighteenth century - a large-scale decoration depicting the fauna and flora of the Middle Kingdom, with birds in shimmering plumage and exotic plants painted in gouache on rice paper. This type of wall covering, imported at great expense by the East India companies, was one of the most striking symbols of the Chinese taste that conquered Europe in the Age of Enlightenment.
Related Figures
Propriétaire fondateur (1677) — commanditaire inconnu de la maison originelle, probablement issu de la bourgeoisie genevoise ou savoyardeMaître d'œuvre du début du XVIIIe siècle — artisan local ayant supervisé les transformations et agrandissementsDécorateur néo-classique (fin XVIIIe siècle) — artiste ou artisan ayant conçu les boiseries et dessus-de-porte de la salle à mangerArtisans cantonais (fin des années 1780) — peintres de l'atelier de Canton ayant exécuté le célèbre papier peint chinoisPropriétaire commanditaire du papier peint — figure aisée ayant passé commande via une maison de négoce européenne actif sur les routes commerciales avec la Chine
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison located?
Maison is located in Collonges-sous-Salève, Département 74 department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France.
When was Maison built?
Maison dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison open to visitors?
Maison is currently closed to visitors.