Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Rêve Cottage villa, built in the early 20th century in Andrésy, was enlarged by the addition of a Chinese pavilion, probably from the Universal Exhibition of 1900. This pavilion, of irregular polygonal design, is decorated with ceramic panels signed H. Cannes and made by Villeroy and Boch, representing extreme Asian motifs. It rests on an armed cement base imitating gills, designed to connect it to the raised ground floor of the main house. Originally, it housed a billiard room in the 1920s, while interiors today lost most of their decor.

The garden was set up simultaneously with picturesque elements: a false river, a bridge and an artificial cave. The Chinese pavilion, classified as Historic Monument in 2006 for its facades and roofs, is a rare testimony of the enthusiasm for exoticism at the turn of the century. The villa belonged to Monsieur Gourlin, mayor of Andrésy in the 1910s, when the main house, dating from the last quarter of the 19th century, was completed by this pavilion. The communes, including discounts, accommodation and gazebo, are now a separate property.

The exact origin of the Chinese flag remains uncertain, although the local tradition associates it with a universal exhibition without formal proof. Ceramics, signed and dated, as well as the decorated cement structure, illustrate the techniques and artistic tastes of the era. The site, located at 18 avenue de Fin-d.

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