Malmaison

A ride on the Metro and then a bus journey: it was well worth the trouble to get to this museum.  The many layers of history, individuals making their mark and changes of style and taste means finding something that is "as it was" is not to be expected.  Instead the stories that a location tells becomes the attraction.

But with Malmaison restoration has returned the ground floor at least to close to how it was in the days of Napoleon and Josephine.

The stocktake in 1814 after Josephine died allowed the identification and subsequent recovery of much of the contents, even though it had been sold off.  Some was even retrieved from Soviet Russia in the 1930s

The overwhelming feeling was of peace and tranquility.

Modern gateway and ubiquitous security check.

The entry way had been styled as a military type tent.

Every home must have one!

The library with Napoleon's desk in the background. 

Feel the power!

Empress Josephine slept here

The music room.

Looking towards the music room,

from the room with all the portraits of the Sultans of Egypt.

Postcard of the cabinet room at Malmaison,

sent to the ANF HQ in York, WA.  

View of the chateau from the grounds.