By Château de Montpoupon
Château de Montpoupon
Vue aérienne du Château de Montpoupon (2013)Château de Montpoupon
Aerial view of Château de Montpoupon, a private family residence in the Loire valley.
The childhood of Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre
Bernard, the third child of Emile and Jeanne de la Motte Saint-Pierre, was born in the family château of Montpoupon on August 28 1875.
Livre de messe (Fin XIX° siècle)Château de Montpoupon
On the day he was born, he was christened in the chapel of the château and received his first prayer book, which he kept all his life.
Bernard discovered his military vocation very early on, as can be seen from this photograph taken when he was eight years old in the company of his personal valet, Louis.
Hunting with hounds was a family tradition at Montpoupon and Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre was initiated into that art. At the age of 10, he occasionally followed the hunt on his donkey, Friquette.
Salle des jouets du Château de Montpoupon (Début XX° siècle)Château de Montpoupon
In the early 20th century toys were precious. In spite of the industrial revolution which made things cheaper, toys were reserved for the privileged few.
The toys displayed in this room belonged to Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre and his daughter, Solange.
The puppets of the Guignol Theatre…
and the fluffy toys amused Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre.
The cork ring which appeared in the late 19th century enabled children to learn to swim which Bernard did at Montpoupon.
The horse-drawn carriage was the only means of locomotion. At Montpoupon it was also drawn by donkeys.
In this photograph, Bernard is driving the carriage, accompanied by his cousin Gérard de la Verteville.
Photo de classe de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre (1892)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard studied at the Collège Stanislas in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, a catholic school founded in the early 19th century which has a reputation for excellence. It still trains young people today, from infants’ school to higher education level.
This photograph shows Bernard with his class in 1892.
In this photograph, Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre was 17 years old. On completing his education, he applied to join the military college of Saint-Cyr.
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre au 6° Dragons (1902)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre then began his military training with the 6th Regiment of Dragoons of Evreux.
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre en tenue du 6° Dragons (1910)Château de Montpoupon
He soon became a junior officer. His brother was a sub-lieutenant in the same regiment.
Here we see Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre in the uniform of the 6th Dragoons which can be recognized by its collar, bearing the number 6 a helmet and a braided dolman. This uniform gradually disappeared in the early 20th century and was replaced by a full tunic with a row of nine buttons which Bernard would have worn during the First World War.
The military career of Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre.
Photographie de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre (1914)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre was called up when the First World War broke out, joining his new regiment, the 25th Dragoons of Angers, on August 2 1914. He was then a reserve lieutenant.
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre, capitaine du 13° Dragons (1918)Château de Montpoupon
He was wounded in action but returned to the front after his convalescence and was appointed captain of the 13th Dragoons in September 1918.
Accessoires militaire de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre (Début XX° siècle)Château de Montpoupon
Some of the military equipment of Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre can be seen in his bedroom on the second floor of Château de Montpoupon, including his kepi, sword, epaulette case and captain’s trunk, as well as many other articles.
The passions of Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre
Venery, also known as hunting with hounds, had taken place in winter at Château de Montpoupon since the mid-19th century.
Bernard took over the Montpoupon hunt created by his father in 1873.
Here, he is wearing the coat of the Montpoupon hunt which is cherry red with purple facings.
(For more details about hunting wear, please see the “Hunting, art and traditions” exhibit)
The hunt sets off from Château de Montpoupon. Bernard, the hunt master, leads the hunt, followed by the whipper-in and the hounds.
Before each hunt, Bernard would send invitations like this one.
L'équipage de Montpoupon (1909)Château de Montpoupon
Hunt members and guests gather before the hunt. Some choose the “comfort” of the first motor cars to follow its progress.
Article du Figaro sur une chasse du Rallye Montpoupon (1929-01-31) by Le FigaroChâteau de Montpoupon
Elegant attire was required after the hunt. A dinner jacket in the hunt’s colors and a starched shirt front were essential.
Course hippique (1920)Château de Montpoupon
Alongside hunting with hounds, another of the passions of Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre was horse racing.
Bernard owned a stable. His colors became official on September 23 1921 with the creation of the Montpoupon Stud Farm.
The jockeys’ silks of the la Motte Saint-Pierre family were yellow and blue.
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre aux courses (1939)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard would meet his friends at the races. This photograph shows him at the Longchamps racecourse shortly before the Second World War.
The family life of Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre
Photographie de Mariage de Bernard et Thérèse de la Motte Saint-Pierre (1911-11-22)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre married Thérèse Béeche à Irarrazaval, of Chilean origin and a descendant of Christopher Columbus, in Paris on November 22 1911.
When they arrived at the Château de Montpoupon, the staff, who numbered about a hundred people at the time, organized a reception for them and the Montpoupon hunt greeted them with a fanfare on their horns.
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre inherited the château on his father’s death in 1912. Mrs Emile Léon de la Motte Saint-Pierre, Bernard’s mother, lived with them until her death in 1924.
This photograph shows her dressed for the hunt with her son and daughter-in-law, wearing the hunt’s colors, at the entrance to the château.
Thérèse de la Motte Saint-Pierre et sa fille Solange (1919)Château de Montpoupon
Solange de la Motte Saint-Pierre was born on September 21 1918. Her father was granted leave and arrived at Montpoupon two days after her birth.
This photograph shows her with her mother, Thérèse.
Chambre de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre (2016)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard’s bedroom as it can be seen today.
Vêtements et accessoires de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre. (2016)Château de Montpoupon
Chemise à plastron de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre (Début du XX° siècle)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard’s starched shirt front bears the initials B.M.S.P., as did all his possessions.
A top hat was an essential accessory to complete his outfit. No-one would go into town without a hat!
The cane was another fashionable accessory in the early 20th century.
Pommeau canne oeil de tigreChâteau de Montpoupon
This one has a silver top containing a tiger eye (a kind of quartz – a semi-precious stone).
Nécessaire de toilette de voyage de Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre (Début XX° siècle)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard traveled a great deal and would not leave home without his toilet case.
As with his clothes, Bernard put his initials on his suitcases.
An internal telephone system was installed in the château during the modernization undertaken by Bernard in the 1920s for communication between many of its rooms.
Bernard also had hot and cold running water installed in the château, as well as electricity and central heating throughout.
Bernard was interested in all the latest developments and motor cars in particular. In 1913, there were four vehicles in the Montpoupon fleet:
- an eight-cylinder De Dion
- a Licorne limousine with a De Dion engine
- a Licorne Torpedo Coupé with a De Dion engine
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre dans les années 50 (Milieu XX° siècle)Château de Montpoupon
Bernard de la Motte Saint-Pierre imprinted his strong personality on the history of Montpoupon.
Always in tune with the latest fashions, he gave life at Montpoupon a unique style and the château is still inhabited today.
The Louvencourt family, owners of Château de Montpoupon
The Association of Friends of the Musée du Veneur at Montpoupon
Clémence Bevand, creator of the exhibition
Photographic credits:
Jean-Paul Payreault
Château de Montpoupon
Video credits:
Château de Montpoupon
