Le Chevalier's Abode

I opened up Wikimedia Commons this morning and voilà, there it was – Le Chevalier’s home outside of Paris. (Except in this case, it’s a palace in Stockholm. Close enough!)

When I was writing the "Paris chapter" of Le Chevalier, I can’t tell you how long I scoured the web looking for a chateau of some sort that fit the image in my head. While I knew what I wanted, I always find it easier to make a scene jump off the page if I have an image in front of me to reference.

I wanted a house that was flashy, ornate, and a bit overwhelming to Alexandra, an American who lived her life in Philadelphia amid modest brick and wood buildings.

Here’s the way I described it:



Rosendals slott (Rosendals palace). Djurgården, Stockholm
author: Arild Vågen
source: Wikimedia Commons

The structure only had two-stories, but the windows on each floor must have been twelve feet high. An ornate wrought iron grillwork covered the lower third of each window, giving the house a feminine, frilly appearance. The slight pink hue of the stone enhanced the image. Alex squinted up at miniature cherubs spaced at intervals along the edge of the ornate trim lining the top of the house. Overall, his home reminded her of a pastry, albeit a large one.

Aside from the lack of cherubs and wrought iron, is this not it?

MJ