Architecture 01 France

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2 Architecture 01 France

3 Recent Titles in Rererence Guides to National Arcnitecture Architecture of Greece Janina K. Darling Architecture of England, Scotland, and Wales Nigel R. Jones Architecture of Spain Alejandro Lapunzina

4 Arcnitecture or France DAVID A. HANSER Reierence Guides to National Arcnitecture Greenwood Press Westport, Connecticut London

5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hanser, David A. Architecture of France / David A. Hanser. p. cm. (Reference guides to national architecture, ISSN ) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN (alk. paper) 1. Architecture France. I. Title. II. Series. NA1041.H '.944 dc British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright 2006 by David A. Hanser All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: ISBN: ISSN: First published in 2006 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z ) All photographs provided by the author unless otherwise noted.

6 In memoriam Mom and Dad my brother Harris my friends Betsy Holt and Hilde Wohlert

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8 Contents Entries by Location Entries by Architectural Style and Period Preface Acknowledgments Introduction xi xii xv xix xxi ARCHITECTURE OF FRANCE Abbaye aux Hommes (Men's Abbey)/St. Etienne, Caen 1 Aigues-Mortes, Aigues-Mortes, Mediterranean Coast 4 Ancy-le-Franc: Chateau, Ancy-le-Franc, Burgundy 8 Anet: Chateau, Anet, West of Paris Near Dreux 12 Arab World Institute, Paris 16 Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph), Paris 19 Baptistery of St. Jean (St. John), Poitiers 23 Bibliotheque Nationale Frangois Mitterrand, Paris 29 Bibliotheque Ste-Genevieve, Paris 34 Carcassonne (Fortress City), Carcassonne 38 Carnac Alignments, Near Carnac, Brittany 41 Chambord: Chateau, Loire Valley 47 Chartres Cathedral (Notre Dame), Chartres 53 Chenonceaux: Chateau, Loire Valley 60 Eiffel Tower, Paris 63 Fontainebleau: Palace, Fontainebleau, 30 Miles Southeast of Paris 67 Fontenay Abbey, Egrevies Valley, Burgundy 71 Germigny-des-Pres: Parish Church, Germigny-des-Pres 78

9 viii Contents Grande Arche (Grand Arch), Paris 82 Grand Theater of Bordeaux (Grand Theatre de Bordeaux), Bordeaux 86 Hotel Soubise, Paris 91 Invalides, Paris 94 Issoire: Abbey Church of St. Austremoine, Auvergne 98 Jacques Cceur House, Bourges 103 Les Halles (Central Markets), Paris 109 Louvre and Tuileries Garden, Paris 113 Madeleine, Paris 124 Maisons: Chateau, Maisons-Laffitte 127 Metro (Subway) Stations, Paris 132 Mont Saint Michel, Northwestern France 136 Nimes: Amphitheater, Nimes 143 Nimes: The Maison Carree, Nimes 145 Notre Dame, Paris 149 Orange: Roman Theater and Triumphal Arch, Orange 157 Palace of the Popes, Avignon 161 Pantheon, Paris 165 Paris Opera (Palais Gamier), Paris 172 Pierrefonds: Chateau, between Soissons and Senlis 179 Place de la Concorde and Gardes Meubles, Paris 186 Place des Vosges, Paris 190 Pompidou Center, Paris 195 Pont du Gard, Gardon River, Near Nimes 200 Reims Cathedral (Notre Dame), Reims 203 Ronchamp (Notre-Dame-du-Haut), Near Belfort, Haut-Saone Region 209 Royal Saltworks, Arc-et-Senans 213 Sacre Cceur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Christ), Paris 219 Saint Denis, Ile-de-France, North of Paris 222 Sainte-Chapelle, Paris 228 Saint Front, Perigueux 235 Saint Michel de Cuxa, Prades, Catalonia 240 Saint Philibert Abbey Church, Tournus (Burgundy) 243 Saint-Savin, Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe 247 Saint Sernin, Toulouse 253 Theatre des Champs-Elysees, Paris 258 Unite d'habitation (Marseilles Block), Marseilles 262 Val-de-Grace, Paris 267 Vaux-le-Vicomte: Chateau, Near Melun 271

10 Content ix Versailles: Chateau, Versailles 278 Versailles: City and Gardens, Versailles 284 Versailles: The Hamlet (L'Hameau), Versailles 288 Versailles: Petit Trianon, Versailles 292 Vezelay: Church of the Madeleine (Mary Magdalene), Vezelay 297 Villandry: Chateau and Gardens, Near Tours 302 Villa Savoye, Poissy (Yvelines) 304 Glossary Bibliography Index

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12 Entries by Location Aigues-Mortes Aigues-Mortes Ancy-le-Franc Ancy-le-Franc: Chateau Carnac, Brittany Carnac Alignments Prades, Catalonia Saint Michel de Cuxa Anet: Chateau Anet Chartres Chartres Cathedral (Notre Dame) Royal Saltworks Arc-et-Senans Avignon Palace of the Popes Bordeaux Grand Theater of Bordeaux (Grand Theatre de Bordeaux) Bourges Jacques Cceur House Caen Abbaye aux Hommes (Men's Abbey)/St. Etienne Carcassonne Carcassonne (Fortress City) Fontenay Abbey Burgundy Fontainebleau Fontainebleau: Palace Saint Denis (Ile-de-France) Saint Denis, Cathedral Issoire Abbey Church of St. Austremoine Loire Valley Chambord: Chateau Chenonceaux: Chateau Germigny-des-Pres: Parish Church Maisons-Laffitte Maisons: Chateau

13 xii Entries by Location Marseilles Unite d'habitation (Marseilles Block) Melun Vaux-le-Vicomte: Chateau Mont Saint Michel, Normandy Mont Saint Michel Nimes Nimes: Amphitheater Nimes: The Maison Carree Pont du Gard Orange Orange: Roman Theater and Triumphal Arch Paris Arab World Institute Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph) Sacre Cceur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Christ) Bibliotheque Nationale Francois Mitterrand Bibliotheque Ste-Genevieve Eiffel Tower Grande Arche (Grand Arch) Hotel Soubise Invalides Les Halles (Central Markets) Louvre and Tuileries Garden Madeleine Metro (Subway) Stations Notre Dame Pantheon Paris Opera (Palais Gamier) Place de la Concorde and Gardes Meubles Place des Vosges Pompidou Center Sainte-Chapelle Theatre des Champs-Elysees Val-de-Grace Saint Front Villa Savoye Perigueux Poissy Poitiers Baptistery of St. Jean (St. John) Reims Reims Cathedral (Notre Dame) Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe Saint-Savin Compiegne Pierrefonds: Chateau Saint Sernin Toulouse Tournus Saint Philibert Abbey Church Tours Villandry: Chateau and Gardens Versailles Versailles: Chateau Versailles: City and Gardens Versailles: The Hamlet (L'Hameau) Versailles: Petit Trianon Vezelay Vezelay: Church of the Madeleine (Mary Magdalene)

14 Entries by Architectural Style an dt enoc S ee the Introduction for descriptions of major architectural styles and periods in French history. Prehistoric (10,000 B.C.E.-SO B.C.E.) Carnac Alignments Roman (SO B.C.E.-300 C.E.) Nimes: Amphitheater Nimes: The Maison Carree Orange: Roman Theater and Triumphal Arch Pont du Gard Early Christian (300 C.E.-1,000 C.E.) Baptistry of St. Jean (St. John) Carolingian (800 C.E.-1,000 C.E.) Germigny-des-Pres: Parish Church Romanesque ( ) Fontenay Abbey Issoire: Abbey Church of St. Austremoine Saint Front (Perigueux) Saint Savin Saint Sernin Saint Michel de Cuxa Saint Philibert Abbey Church Romanesque and Gothic ( ) Mont Saint Michel Vezelay: Church of the Madeleine (Mary Magdalene) Abbaye aux Hommes (Men's Abbey)/St. Etienne Gothic ( ) Aigues-Mortes Palace of the Popes Carcassonne Chartres Cathedral (Notre Dame) Jacques Cceur House Louvre and Tuileries Garden Notre Dame Pierrefonds: Chateau Reims Cathedral (Notre Dame) Sainte-Chapelle Saint Denis

15 xiv Entries by Architectural Style and Period Renaissance ( ) Ancy-le-Franc: (Chateau) Anet: Chateau Chambord: Chateau Chenonceaux: Chateau Fontainebleau: Palace Place des Vosges Villandry: Chateau and Gardens Baroque ( ) Invalides Maisons: Chateau Val-de-Grace Vaux-le-Vicomte: Chateau Versailles: Chateau Versailles: City and Gardens Hotel Soubise Rococo ( ) Neoclassical ( ) Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph) Grand Theater of Bordeaux Louvre (East Facade) Madeleine Pantheon Place de la Concorde and Gardes Meubles Royal Saltworks Versailles: Petit Trianon Romantic/Picturesque ( ) Versailles: The Hamlet (L'Hameau) Nineteenth Century/Beaux-Arts Eclecticism ( ) Bibliotheque Ste-Genevieve Eiffel Tower Les Halles (Central Markets) Paris Opera (Palais Gamier) Sacre Cceur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Christ) Modern and Postmodern (1905-present) Arab World Institute Bibliotheque Nationale Francois Mitterrand Pompidou Center Grande Arche (Grand Arch) Unite d'habitation (Marseille Block) Metro (Subway) Stations Ronchamp (Notre-Dame-du-Haut) Theatre des Champs-Elysees (Paris) Villa Savoye

16 Prerace L ike the other books in Greenwood's Reference Guides to National Architecture series, Architecture of France is intended to be accessible for readers who have no special knowledge of architecture, engineering, or history, while remaining interesting to those who have a background in architectural studies. Architectural "jargon" has, therefore, been reduced to a minimum, although some must remain. Architecture, like all other fields of study, has a special vocabulary that is useful or even necessary in discussing buildings. These specialized terms will be used only when they are critical to understanding a specific building or when their elimination would require tortuous and repetitive descriptive phrases. Where practical, such terms are briefly explained the first time they appear in an entry. Terms unique to architecture that are not explained in the text are italicized (e.g., flying buttress) and explained in a glossary at the back of the book. Even though buildings from all major historical periods are represented, Architecture of France is more like an encyclopedia of French architecture than a history of architecture. The introduction has been designed to give at least an overview of major historical building styles and how they relate to the political history of France. As in an encyclopedia, entries are meant to be selfcontained; that is, they are intended to make sense to a reader who has not read the entire book. Each entry begins with pertinent factual data about the building: location, architectural style(s), dates of original construction and important reconstructions, and names of architects or engineers. The opening paragraph also explains why the structure is important. To keep individual entries from being overly long and repetitive, some aspects of a building type may be discussed in more detail in one entry than in another. Where this is the case, a cross-reference, indicated with boldface type, directs the reader to an entry that gives a fuller explanation. For the most part, the buildings covered in this book are those most likely

17 xvi reface to be familiar to the general public, for example, buildings that often appear in the background on television or in movies, operas, and musicals (e.g., the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, or the Paris Opera); or are mentioned in popular books and magazines (e.g., Notre Dame); or are among those most visited by tourists (e.g., Versailles). As a consequence, and because nearly one of five French citizens live in the capital city, a disproportionate number of buildings are located in or near Paris. Selection criteria combined with the publisher's restrictions on the size of the book have resulted in eliminating some works of superior aesthetic or historical importance while including better-known buildings of lesser merit. On the other hand, because of the effort to achieve a degree of chronological and geographic balance, some structures not likely to be known to the general public are discussed, such as the Early Christian Baptistery of St. Jean in Poitiers and the Carolingian chapel of Germigny-des-Pres. Perhaps this book will inspire some readers to visit these lesser-known buildings. For the same reason as the selection of buildings most likely to be familiar to the general public, buildings are listed alphabetically by the name the public most commonly uses. For the American public, "Notre Dame," when it is not used to refer to a football team, almost universally is understood to refer to the cathedral in Paris. The cathedral in the city of Chartres, which is also dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Notre Dame), is called Chartres Cathedral by nearly everyone, even in France, and is therefore listed under that name. It seemed less confusing to list major buildings in Paris by their popular name rather than under "Paris," but all the buildings at Versailles appear under the term "Versailles." Tables at the beginning of the book that break down the entries by location, architectural style and general time period, and the index, permits readers with any information about a building to find where (and whether) it is covered in the book. French architects, especially from the High Middle Ages on, have been world leaders in advancing construction techniques; French architects and engineers invented modern civil and architectural engineering. In many cases, expression of the building's structure is central to its aesthetic appeal. Knowing how French buildings were constructed what makes them stand up is more important to understanding them than it is for buildings in many other countries. A French Gothic cathedral, for example, is an undisguised skeleton of cut stone, whereas St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, which looks like a stone building, is mostly a "concrete" structure covered with stone veneers; apparent structural details (like pilasters) are decorative. Such discussions of structure and construction are kept as brief and simple as possible, but they are important. Architecture is a spatial and temporal art; to be understood in a more than superficial way, a building must be walked around and through, which takes time. Nothing substitutes for direct experience of any work of art, but a single photograph of a painting and two or three of most sculptures give a far better impression of these works than multiple photographs and drawings of a

18 Preface xvii building. Budget limitations, however, restricted illustrations to no more than one per building, and difficult decisions had to be made. Chartres Cathedral, for example, looks very different from the front, sides, and rear; moreover, its interior is hardly what one would expect from the exterior. There should be photographs of all these parts and of the stained glass, one of its glories but there can be only one image. To mitigate the problem, different aspects of buildings in a general category (such as Gothic churches) are shown for different examples, and cross-references are given so that readers can build up a better understanding of the building type. A comment needs to be made about stylistic categories. Although some experts object to categorizing buildings (or other works of art) with stylistic labels, buildings from different periods do look different from each other. Buildings from a historical period have characteristics that distinguish them from buildings of a different period. Thirty-five years of teaching have convinced me that describing these stylistic characteristics helps the nonexpert understand buildings, paintings, sculpture, and music. Nothing more should be made of stylistic labels in this book than an attempt to help the reader divide 5,000 years of buildings into smaller, more manageable chunks, much as cutting up a tree into studs, joists, and beams aids considerably in building a house as opposed to leaving the tree as it grew in the forest. Although I cannot claim expertise in such a long span of architectural history as is covered in this book, at least I have visited every building discussed, many of them several times even Les Halles in Paris, the single building included that no longer exists. With the exception of the megaliths at Carnac, all the buildings in this book were constructed during the Christian era; B.C.E. is appended to dates before the Christian era and C.E. to those of the Christian era only when leaving them out might make a date ambiguous. Suggestions for further reading are given at the end of each section, but with the exception of books on Gothic architecture and Versailles, there are surprisingly few English sources that go into greater depth for many of these buildings than does Architecture of France. Some French sources are indicated for readers who know that language. A Web site is given for some buildings, but this is mostly to suggest sources of images of the building, especially images in color. Texts on the Internet vary widely in quality and accuracy, and most are in less depth than the entries in this book. A brief bibliography of important general sources or classic works is found in the back of the book.

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20 Acknowledgments T he late Alan K. Laing was fundamentally responsible for my interest in French architecture in architectural history tout court and he was instrumental in my being appointed to the faculty of the University of Illinois School of Architecture's European program at Versailles, France. This program, which is associated with one of the first three schools of architecture established in France after the dissolution of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1968, was an essential part of my studies of architectural history. Alec Notaras, who directed the American program for its first two decades, and Jean Castex and Henri Bressler, two of the outstanding faculty of the French school have seen, since my earliest days at Versailles, Notaras, who were not only valued colleagues and good friends, but also learned guides to French architecture. It is impossible to overestimate how much the late Helene and Michel Bonnaud contributed to my knowledge of all things French. They adopted me into their family, helped me to obtain a house near theirs in central France, and bequeathed me their three children as continuing ciceronies. Sylvie and her husband Philippe in particular assisted me at critical points in the book. Marie-Annick Matovic, longtime Executive Assistant at the University of Illinois' European Program in Versailles, has helped in so many ways over the last decades; as has Dominique Audouin, her equivalent in the French school of architecture. Whatever qualities I have as a scholar I owe to the superb art and architectural history faculty who directed my graduate studies, chief among them Dr. Marcel Franciscono. Marcel guided me through the long process of getting a doctorate and became a very good friend in the process. The late Dr. Minerva Pinnell inspired as well as taught me, as did Dr. Ann Perkins. Lively discussions and visits to Renaissance and Baroque architecture with Dr. Richard Betts sharpened my critical abilities. Many of the buildings discussed in the book were first visited with the late