A Bubbling ‘Maison’ In Champagne

In the southern part of France’s Champagne region of Aube lies one of the region’s smallest producers. Behind the label ‘Roses de Jeanne’ is a young couple, Cédric and Emilie Bouchard, who few years ago transformed a 300-year-old manor into a modern ‘maison’, home to the family of four and their Champagne.

When entering the small courtyard through the old iron gates, time is rewound to the beginning of the 1700s, where a Parisian bourgeois family inhabited the main house and their staff the servant’s annex nestling over the 200m2 wine cellars. Today, home to a couple in their 30s and their two children, the historic scenery is infused with contemporary layers after a vast renovation of the interior. Cédric and Émilie have created a home that exudes passion; passion for quality in the objects surrounding them and a passion for revolutionising the 600-year-old Champagne profession.

THE HOUSE
A 1500m2 garden and courtyard surround the main building of 250m2. The ground floor covers the kitchen, two living rooms, two offices and a hallway with the original split staircase to the first floor occupied by four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

While recently renovated, the interior and the 300-year-old architectural details of the house are kept intact. In every high-ceilinged room moulded panels, wooden floors or original tiles and marble fireplaces contrast the highly modern furniture selection.

INTERIOR DETAILS
Wall colours and wallpaper are used to give each room its own distinct feeling; beige in the kitchen and bathrooms, white in the living rooms, dark grey in the library, pale rose in girl’s room and a light grey hallway.

The home showcases an array of renowned contemporary design object combined with specially made tables, closets and shelving made by Émilie’s cousin who is an educated carpenter. Customized furniture stands side by side with mid-century modern Scandinavian classics and American vintage pieces, like the vintage Charles and Eames lounge chair found on e-bay.

THE KITCHEN
Émilie and Cédric chose a black kitchen island from Vipp to take centre stage among panelled walls and integrated cupboards.

“We saw only the corner of this kitchen in a magazine. But we cancelled the one we had already ordered, because this was the right kitchen. We often invite our clients into the kitchen for a tasting, so it had to stand out. We know the quality of Vipp’s bin, and therefore trusted that the kitchen carried the same finesse to quality and detail. We ended up buying it over the phone without having seen it in real life”, Émilie explains.

TYPE OF HOUSE Traditional stone house with a wine production annex and storage annex.
WHERE Aube, Champagne, France
YEAR BUILD Early 18th century