These historic residences, often built over long periods of time, have been expanded and redecorated according to the whims of the day, scarred by revolution and war, and restored by the best-known architects and artists of their epochs. Together they represent a tangible record of the French lifestyle of the past and the present, as many of these houses are still in private hands. Some of the most famous and beloved houses of the French nation, as well as some that are impossible to visit, are included-Château-Lafite, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Hôtel Lambert, Château d'Or, and Le Marais. The Splendor of France provides an important record of the grandeur of the French style and its contributions to the history of architecture and design through the centuries.