In the heart of the , stroll in Montfort-l’amaury in the house (de doll) of Maurice Ravel

The strange biscornnished residence of the composer deserves a visit. Follow the leader.

The superb and confusing house of Maurice Ravel in Montfort-l’amaury Photo Thomas Amevet for Télérama outing

By Jean-Baptiste Duchenne

Posted on January 25, 2025 at 8:00 a.m.

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En edge of the forest, here is Montfort-l’amaury, a small ancient and opulent town dominates its dungeon. The belvedere, the house of Maurice Ravel, immediately arouses curiosity. Perhaps this is the effect of its campanile or its quirky facade in the middle of a turn. The musician acquired this villa in 1921 and inhabited him until his death, in 1937. Right now, in the music show that houses his piano Érard, the composer wrote some of his most famous partitions: the Bolero, Of course, but also the Concerto in major soil, or the Violin and piano sonate.

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Often compared to a doll house, the building has seven small rooms – the owner of the premises was the size of a jockey – with, everywhere, dozens of unusual trinkets and mind games that the artist collected. If some objects have joined the exhibition that the Philharmonie dedicated to Maurice Ravel for the 150e Anniversary of his birth (“Ravel Bolero”, until June 15), other elements replaced them, such as toys, master drawings, clothes, or a suitcase that followed him during his triumphant tour in the States -Unis. The room, at the lower level, opens directly to a garden with Japanese contours. We are then at the forefront to admire the Saint-Pierre church : « The parish priest, reports our guide, Christiane Métreau, said that the most generous of its donors was Maurice Ravel, but that he never saw him at mass»

The church, the other essential monument of Montfort-l'amaury

The church, the other essential monument of Montfort-l'amaury

The church, the other essential monument of Montfort-l’amaury Photo Thomas Amevet for Télérama outing

After this fascinating visit to the belvedere, we join the church in question. You have to take a side step to admire the south side gate and the renaissance-style buttresses. Inside, an extraordinary set of thirty-seven stained glass windows of the XVIe century illuminates the nave. Classified as a historic monument during the first census of Prosper Mérimée, the place made the admiration of Auguste Rodin, who sketched him in his collection The cathedrals of .

A little later, we find the figure of Maurice Ravel. His bust sits in one of the galleries of the funeral enclosure. The Montfort-l’amaury cemetery indeed resembles the courtyard of a cloister; No need to seek the musician’s burial, his body rests in Levallois-Perret, with those of his parents. From then on, near the guardian’s house, let’s try to spot the last home of the governess and secretary of Marcel Proust. Céleste Albaret is buried here. After the death of the writer, she resumed a small Parisian hotel, then, in 1957, replied to the invitation of a Proustien, also admirer of Ravel. This is how she was, until 1970, the Guardian of the Belvedere, this house which became the obligatory passage of those that the music of Maurice Ravel touches the deepest.

Go there
Transilian line N, Montfort-l’Amaury-Méré station. The city center, 3 km away, is accessible by a pedestrian and cycle path or by the B buso 5.
To visit
Le Belvédère, rue Maurice Ravel, 78490 Montfort-l’amaury, 01 34 86 87 96. [email protected]
Guided tours only (approximately 1 hour, 6 people max.) Sam. 2:30 p.m., 3.30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., Sun 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 3.30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., in SEM. Depending on the availability of the guides (€ 5-11).
Manger
At the five of the Bachs … A curious name in the city of Ravel, but the “Bach” is here the diminutive of the bachelor, the family at the head of this renowned establishment. 5, rue de Paris. Tel: 09 88 43 51 64. Mer.-Ven. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sat 12 p.m.-3:45 p.m. and 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Dim. 12h-11.45 am. Formula from € 34, dishes € 25.
Walk, pedal
Montfort-l’amaury is on the GR1 course, the path that goes around Paris from station to station. A cycle path also connects the city to Rambouillet via the forest of the same name.
Lire
The day of our visit, we learned on France Musique La Mort, occurred the day before, of Marcel Marnat (1933-2024), journalist, musicologist, biographer and author of the works of works by Maurice Ravel. He wrote the reference biography: Maurice Ravel, ed. Fayard, 832 p., € 34.
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