noël au chateau: three festive French holiday tablescapes

by ally redmond

*** The full version of this article on holiday tablescapes originally appeared on page 34 of the November/December 2019 My French Country Home magazine. To subscribe and see the full editorial, click here ***

I love a pretty tablescape.   It sets the ambiance and mood of a meal,  it’s the best way to make guests feel welcome and loved and there’s no better time to get it just right than the holiday season. For the current edition of the MFCH magazine, we invited ourselves into one of my favorite 17th century châteaux, Château de Moissac-Bellevue.

Formerly abandoned, the Château de Moissac-Bellevue  is fully restored and perched atop a hilltop village in the South of France. We asked the owner – who is also a professional stylist – Marie-Christine Cavaglioni to create three options for French-inspired holiday tablescapes.  I hope you love them.

Natural

Drawing inspiration drawn from the Château’s surrounding nature, our Natural holiday tablescape sets a cozy tone with dark green Jaspé plates from Barbotine in Aubagne, decorative sprigs of pine and decadent bowls of grapes. A long, linen-runner-clad table for ten is offset by the Château’s dramatic high-vaulted ceiling, stone floors and magnificent fireplace. For an all-over warm ambient glow – never forgo candles! For visual interest, Marie Christine likes to use candles in varying heights.

A magical holiday tablescape at Chateau de Moissac

Silver & White

For a slightly smaller dining experience, consider upping the luxury. For our 6-person Silver & White holiday tablescape, we’ve featured simple white Astier de Villatte plates balanced with linen table settings, antique monogrammed napkins and ornate flatware from Au Bain Marie. The overall look is polished off with a selection of antique glasses and carafes to serve as candleholders.

Using white as dominate color in a holiday tablescape | Chateau de Moissac

Gold

For an intimate dinner for two, go gold. With lavish gold napkin rings and decorative golden branches from Paris’ Au Bain Marie and gold wax chargers (featuring sugar cubes) from Un Soir à l’Opera, the only additional flair this holiday tablescape requires is simple flowers. Here the Château’s holiday tablescape is highlighted by its beautiful fireplace whose dancing flames reflect on the patina walls.

A Gold Holiday Tablescape at Chateau de Moissac


All photography by Anne Soulier.

For festive French holiday tablescape items to shop and much more, subscribe to My French Country Home Magazine.

Do you have any holiday tablescape inspiration of your own to share? I’d love to hear how you are planning your holiday table.

8 comments

Robert December 13, 2019 - 7:46 pm

These are beautiful, sparkly, magic tablescapes…..but they do not feel “christmasey” since they lack the traditional colors of nature,
epiphany, and other facets of the yuletide holidays. Granted they feel very sparkly silvery and are great winter snow table settings.
Thank you for your beautiful blog and magazine!!

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Ida Duplechin December 13, 2019 - 8:35 pm

Perfection! Suitable for any holiday celebration and I love it. Settings brought back such beautiful memories. Thank you so very much. Ida

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Sari Ojala December 13, 2019 - 8:40 pm

So nice colours, stylish and elegant!. Great inspiration, thanks.

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Leonie December 14, 2019 - 12:11 am

I am going to go gold next year your table setting has inspired me .I always have a green or red theme but everybody needs to have change sometimes.Thank you Sharon and merry Christmas

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Christine December 14, 2019 - 12:23 am

I think the golden theme is so pretty and peaceful .
My feeling captured for winter …
I recall your white tablescape last Christmas – there was a touch of red . It was my favorite thus far and I used your idea . Can you show that again ?

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Bronwyn Lee-Coward December 14, 2019 - 11:32 am

Pure elegance and sophistication, I just love each one. Red and green have been themed so often it is refreshing to see something that is totally charming and timeless. With the log fire aglow in the background the crystal and silver ware will sparkle. Thank you for your inspiration.

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Barbara Lyons December 18, 2019 - 2:45 am

Hello, I Barbara Lyons had asked that my Magazine address be changed to 17 Mills Road Kennebunkport Maine 04046, it was 2014 Fanning Court Leland N C

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suzanne vigneron December 20, 2019 - 11:42 pm

Hi There, I’m a little taken back with snippets of articles on your blog from the magazine which I subscribe to. We subscribers pay for this magazine. If this is the case why have a subscription when we can wait for magazine articles to come out on your blog ? I realize its sort of a tease to get more subscribers and I love your blog but I just wanted to give you my two cents.

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