Engel & Völkers

Lifestyle

Close-up of a gold door with small circular cutouts and a round door handle with the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei".

Emmanuel Barrois: The glass alchemist who reinvents contemporary architecture

Emmanuel Barrois and glass are above all a story of chance. An unexpected encounter with a stained glass artist, which changed the direction he was about to take in his professional life. At the time, the young agricultural engineer on a humanitarian mission was trying his hand at photography. The few months he spent behind the lens led to a report on the history of heritage, during which he swapped the camera for glass for good.

  • 3 min read
Emmanuel Barrois: The glass alchemist who reinvents contemporary architecture
A woman in black sits on a brown leather couch in front of a Mondrian-style glass panel. An arm with a tattoo is holding the panel.

Meet Master Glassmaker Caroline Prégermain

In the heart of Paris, Caroline Prégermain perpetuates and modernizes ancestral know-how. She is a master glassmaker. It's a fascinating craft, a skilful blend of technique and creativity that gives rise to a work of art as spectacular as it is delicate: stained glass. For as long as she can remember, Caroline has been fascinated by glass. By its transparency, by its color, and by the life that emanates from the material when it comes into contact with light. The young teenager, who had initially opted for wood and metal sculpture, eventually graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d'Art Olivier de Serres, specializing in stained glass. It was a choice of the heart that Caroline made almost 40 years ago, and one that has been a matter of course for her ever since. There have been moments of doubt, especially in the early days when stained glass wasn't as popular as it is today: "Glass really came back into fashion 4 or 5 years ago. Back in the 90s, interior designers weren't thinking of using stained glass, as it echoed the Belle Époque and religious decor. That's why master glassmakers were mainly involved in renovations and heritage projects," she recalls.

  • 2 min read
Visit Meet Master Glassmaker Caroline Prégermain
A modern living room with a yellow sofa, chair, and a large arched window. The walls are red, and there is abstract art on the wall.

2024: A Space Odyssey

A major aesthetic wave of the 1950s and 60s, the "Space Age" is once again the stuff of dreams, as if the architecture and design associated with the pop idea of a future in space were coming back into its own. One of Engel & Völkers' trendy inspirations for your next property project?

  • 2 min read
Visit 2024: A Space Odyssey
A woman in a blue and white dress holds yellow flowers at the Nice Flower Parade, with a building in the background.

The Nice carnival and its flower parade

The “Battle of the Flowers,” vast floats, costumes and illuminated parades etc... The Nice Carnival is back in 2022 for its 149th edition - a flamboyant celebration inspired by this year’s theme, the “King of the Animals.” It is France’s largest carnival and one of the best known in the world, alongside Rio and Venice.

  • 2 min read
Visit The Nice carnival and its flower parade
Eiffel Tower view from the Seine River, Paris. Boats docked along the riverbank, bridge in the background, blue sky with clouds.

Livable barges on the Seine River

Living on a boat, listening to the sound and being rocked by the water... This is the lifestyle chosen by many barge owners. An atypical lifestyle, which brings you closer to nature, closer to the water, and is in a way like a childhood dream come true. A dream whose price can quickly climb depending on the location, the surface and the condition of the boat.

  • 2 min read
Visit Livable barges on the Seine River
A Parisian square with a fountain, green lawn, and trimmed trees. Buildings with orange brick and gray roofs surround the square.

Architectural styles in Paris

The history of Paris has a strong influence on its architecture. When it comes to Parisian architecture, the name Baron Haussmann springs immediately to mind, but building styles from other periods can be found everywhere. Architectural styles have followed political influences since the early 19th century. If you are looking for a property of character in Paris, take a look at the different real estate architectural styles and the history behind them.

  • 3 min read
Visit Architectural styles in Paris
Exterior view of Sainte Marie de La Tourette, a modern concrete monastery on stilts, with a person walking on the green lawn.

Le Corbusier, the story of a controversial architect

Over 50 years after his death, Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, better known by his pseudonym Le Corbusier, continues to be the topic of much discussion. With his postwar designs now classified as UNESCO heritage sites, he left an everlasting mark on the history of twentieth century architecture. Nonetheless, despite the widespread success of his work, the man himself remains controversial today.

  • 4 min read
Visit Le Corbusier, the story of a controversial architect

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Engel & Völkers France

170 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

75008 Paris

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