If you want to know what inspired one of the greatest French designers of all time then Granville is the place to go. Rosie Khdir steps into the world of Christian Dior.

Upon a cliff facing the Channel Islands, not far from the magical Mont St Michel, sits Villa Les Rhumbs; this is the house where fashion legend Christian Dior grew up.

This grandiose house, where he spend the first 16 years of his life, filled him with inspiration and when you see the beautiful gardens it is no wonder his creations were so beautiful. Christian once said:

“I have the most tender and amazing memories …of my childhood home. I would even say that my life and my style owe almost everything to its site and architecture.”

After the death of his mother and the financial ruin of his father, the house had to be sold. It was bought by the city of Granville in 1938 and its gardens opened to the public. Later in 1991 the property suffered greatly due to an encroaching coastal path and has since be renovated and enlarged.

On the centennial anniversary of Christian Dior’s birth the garden was made into “The garden of fragrances”, an exhibition which takes you on a journey through all Dior’s greatest perfumes. The Musée Christian Dior, as the house is now known, also offers a “fragrances” educational workshop where visitors can learn the art of distinguishing different scents.

There are also a large number of objects related to Christian Dior on show in “The collections”, such as hats, jewelry, fragrances, paintings, fashion illustrations and some couture pieces. You will see in this selection of memorabilia just how much of an influence the beautiful flower filled gardens had on his clothing designs, for example with his first collection called “Corolle” which was based on floral shapes.

This beautiful house and garden are a great place for fashion fanatics and the tearooms, with their 1900s style furniture are the perfect stopover for walkers and garden lovers.

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Image credit: Mussklprozz

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