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by Lorien Fernandez
Published in BusinessWorld, 11 May;
Philippine Star, 12 May 2006
CHANTILLY. The very name evokes charm, elegant details, and all things pretty. A commune in the metropolitan
area of Paris, Chantilly forms an urban section together with six neighboring communes. This locale is a satellite city of
Paris. And Paris? The French capital itself pulsates with passion, romance, and prestige.
Every year Paris draws at
least 22 million foreign visitors like moths to an irresistible flame. Now, a light from the City of Lights has been carefully
transferred to Philippine shores with the launch of Chⴥaux de Paris in South Forbes Golf City in Metro Sta. Rosa. One
of the three model chateaus (French for castles) is none other than Chantilly.
A
Princely Home
Like most European castles, a chateau is a priceless family treasure housing the history, heritage, and traditions
of its resident nobility, sometimes even royalty.
The Chantilly commune itself is made famous by the very picturesque
Chateau de Chantilly, home of the princes of Cond鬠who were cousins of the kings of France. Chantilly has given its
name to the popular Chantilly cream concocted by a chef of the princes, and the intricate Chantilly lace, a handmade bobbin
lace dating from the 17th century. The spires of the Chateau de Chantilly seem to impose over a large square. Its mix of domes
and Gothic architecture are classic European.
The Chantilly house at South Forbes, however, updates the classical
style. While it is born from established forms, it strips away excessive decoration and moves away from the Baroque period
in terms of fabrics and furniture. As a result, you enter the Chantilly house with an intuition of tradition and warmth and
not the heavy, castle-gallery sensation that your ancestors are staring at you from their enormous paintings.
The interiors are neo-classical.
French windows in the living room and dining room give a refreshing view of lush greenery and let in abundant sunlight.
The soothing mint color is repeated in the curtains and furniture covers. The sleek line of the furnishings, which call to
mind the stylized, streamlined creations of French ing鮵e Philippe Starck, are conspicuous in the chair spines and shiny
modern appliances and fixtures of the kitchen. Finally, the bedroom itself is one cozy blend of old and new, with a four-poster
bed dominating and complementing simple racks and cabinets like a king over his advisers.
Fairy
Tale Setting
 
With a whiff of tradition in its relaxed atmosphere, the Chantilly model chateau possesses a richness and elegance
without the stuffy opulence that is the twin of the Baroque.
Outside the house, moreover, the rest of the Chⴥaux
de Paris development is a testament to the best of old grandeur, contemporary living, creativity, and forward-looking sentiments
? qualities which make people fall in love with Paris. A fountain at the main gate, cobblestone streets, formal rows of trees,
and abundant lighting at night welcome residents and visitors of Chⴥaux de Paris into a seemingly enchanted world where
Cinderella just might step out of her carriage anytime. Then again, Cinderella herself might long to stay past midnight at
the main clubhouse, whose ballroom area with grand piano is perfect for formal gatherings.
As the masterpiece of Chⴥaux
de Paris, the clubhouse seems to be surrounded by a moat, that body of water dug to protect a castle from invaders.
The
clubhouse is built with granite doors and large arched windows, but tempered by fancy rainbow flowers. The approach to the
fa硤e is a wide, tree-lined avenue reminiscent of the Champs-Elys饳.
Flowering plants and trees play a
central role in beautifying French yards, parks, and castle grounds. Thus, the entire Chⴥaux de Paris is landscaped
in a reinterpretation of garden designs used during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King whose long reign was marked by a
great flourishing of French culture. A patron of the arts, he planned the majestic Champs-Elys饳. His grand palace at
Versailles, with its breath-taking gardens, was the ideal setting for his extravagant court. These gardens are the inspiration
for the Chⴥaux landscaping, with its pocket parks, reflecting pools, sprawling gardens, and all饠or alleys bordered
by topiaries.
Even its symmetrically laid-out plan is representative of French gardens. And in true Parisian fashion,
the Chⴥaux section has an adjacent river. It?s way smaller than the river Seine, but the romantic lull of its water
may well do.
Minutes away from Chⴥaux de Paris is another landscape of complementary beauty ? the 18-hole South
Forbes Golf Club designed by the International Management Group (IMG) and to which every lot investor at South Forbes acquires
a free membership, plus play and relaxation discounts in 42 world-class affiliated golf courses at different points on the
globe. At Chⴥaux de Paris, residents not only arrive and live in noble style; they also play in enviable style.
The
royal chateau of Chantilly deserves a good look, doesn?t it? For a free tripping to South Forbes, please call MEL TOLENTINO/MARILYN
PACHECO-09193310444 EMAIL US!! JAYSONPATRICK1998@yahoo.com/
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