On the Côte d’Azur, in La Pausa, following in the footsteps of Coco Chanel

A sinistra, anello Symbole Emblématique, in oro rosa e diamanti, con granato spessartite e turchese. A destra orecchini Symbole Ombré, in oro bianco con diamanti, granati spessartite e turchese

After a few hairpin bends, the pungent scent of lemon blossom gives way to the soft fragrance of lavender and the intense aroma of jasmine. We are about to enter La Pausa, and there is no sense of solemnity, only the beauty of layers of colour that fade from the exterior to the interior. Even the entrance is concealed by a huge olive tree, which blocks the path; you have to walk round it to spot it and reach the door, which stands bare. The proverbial definition of elegance works both ways here. ‘Before you go out, look in the mirror and take something off,’ Coco used to say. Even before entering, one must rid oneself of what is unnecessary. In Mademoiselle’s home, every object, every book, painting and cactus was chosen and placed within a personal and symbolic design: to add anything would not only be superfluous but also meaningless. This is why the philological restoration led by Peter Marino presented such a daunting challenge, and an equally demanding challenge now lies in the hands of Yana Peel, president of Chanel Arts, Culture & Heritage, guardian of the site’s rebirth and its future evolution.

And yet, the most difficult task was to harmonise an entire collection of fine jewellery – 85 pieces of unprecedented splendour – with the rarefied, discreet and exquisitely understated atmosphere of La Pausa. This is the story of the encounter between a house so exquisite that it seems ordinary and a collection so opulent that it transcends material value, because ‘jewellery is ideas’.

Bracciale Talisman Contrasté, in oro bianco e diamanti, con inserti in onice e ceramica nera.

 Upon entering the grand atrium, the void stands eight metres high and the space is defined solely by the staircase and the rhythm of the arches that break up the white walls. It is here that the Imprimé Lion necklace takes centre stage – perhaps the most striking piece in the collection, which, in its imposing complexity, reflects the exuberance and rigour of the setting. A perfectly symmetrical vertical cascade of brilliant-cut and emerald-cut diamonds – or diamonds custom-cut to fit the design – set on delicate strands of rose and white gold, punctuated by the discreet presence of simple claws. One’s thoughts naturally turn to an archaic yet contemporary Rosetta Stone – a plastron combining Mademoiselle’s signature codes, deciphering her recurring signs and symbols: the camellia, the star, the sun and the zodiac sign. The V-shaped line of the composition ends with a step-cut diamond at the tip; at the centre is an octagonal sapphire weighing over 20 carats and, immediately below, a play of facets radiates the light of the mane. Signes & Symboles – this is the name of the collection, comprising four themes: Les Imprimés, Le Lion Emblématique, Les Bijoux Talismans and Les Symboles – fills the spaces at La Pausa like a call and a natural yet didactic counterpoint, thanks to its coherence. In the library, unique pieces of jewellery are displayed on simple white pages, layered like sheets of notes. In the piano room, with its mauve sofas and the panelling framing the fireplace, the Symbole Étoile necklace takes on the violet-blue of the tanzanite spheres and adds the colour of three gems in warm shades: the sunny orange of garnet and carnelian and the ‘golden water’ – as Coco loved to describe its iridescent hues – of a cushion-cut imperial topaz, as well as an amulet studded with diamonds and dotted with carnelian.

Anello Talisman Graphique, in oro bianco con diamante centrale e onice

The intimate atmosphere of the bedroom, with its gilded wrought-iron headboard adorned with a large star, provides the setting for the metamorphoses of a lion sculpture crafted from rose and white gold, emeralds and rock crystal: a ring, yet also an ornamental object. The Lion Magistral necklace, not far away, is transformable; it changes length and becomes a double bracelet without ever losing its focal point – a 6.21-carat cushion-cut emerald. The bathroom, with its floor-to-ceiling mirrored walls, reflects and amplifies the power of the talismanic rings and pendants – amulets crafted from coloured gemstones, each featuring a symbol in white gold and diamonds: carnelian paired with the camellia, onyx with the sun, turquoise with the lion, chrysoprase with the star. That first and only couture collection of Haute Joaillerie, designed by Mademoiselle in 1932, Bijoux de diamants, was enough to establish a repertoire of infinite inspiration, an archetype that remains unchanged yet is never quite the same.

Gabrielle Chanel nel 1938, a La Pausa, con François Hugo, Pierre Colle, Audrey Field, Maria Ruspoli-Hugo. ©Roger Schall © Schall Collection

At Signes & Symboles there are many exceptional gemstones, not just diamonds: from the 20.66-carat octagonal sapphire to the 10.44-carat octagonal emerald or the 9.41-carat oval ruby; but here, whether it be the mild climate, the soft light of twilight, or the ever-present olive trees peeking out from every door, window and patio of the house, what really leaves a lasting impression is the feeling of a world where ‘the greatest value is contained within the smallest dimension’, in the detail, even in the invisible that imbues even everyday life with mystery.

And so the mark of a day punctuated by precious signs and symbols – fragments of history and contemporary mythology – can also be imprinted on a simple terracotta pot, kissed by a star: Mademoiselle’s five-pointed star. To take home a seed from the Mediterranean and the promise to keep nurturing dreams.