Maison Louis Carré (Louis Carré House), completed in 1959, is the sole architectural work in France by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Commissioned by the influential French art dealer Louis Carré and his wife Olga, the stunning residence is in the rural, picturesque commune of Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, about 27 miles west of Paris.

The house exemplifies Aalto’s ability to bridge national traditions, material sensibilities and a human-centered design. The structure’s public preservation project for the house began in 2022, and this year, Louis Carré announced opening of the house for art exhibitions, and where visitors could explore the garden and interior of the house.

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According to the Engineers and Architects of America, “Maison Louis Carré is not simply a restored house, it is an architectural monument that shows the exchange between Finnish modernism and French private patronage. The residence represents Alvar Aalto’s rare work in France. For preservation professionals and architects, the project shows how material authenticity and careful planning can revive a mid-century masterpiece without losing its original character.”

Interior and garage restorations are still in progress, with full completion expected this winter. When deciding who he wanted to design his house, Louis Carré originally considered Le Corbusier, but chose Aalto after seeing his work at the Venice Biennale and visiting Aalto’s projects in Finland.

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At Maison Louis Carré, the connection between inside and outside, linked to Japanese architecture which Aalto studied (but never visited Japan), was incorporated into the building’s plan and designed to follow the slope of the landscape. Windows of different shapes and sizes were strategically placed for a play of light throughout the day, typical of many Aalto houses.

During the construction in France, handcrafted wooden elements by local French carpenters were blended with the pure lines of the interior, and sometimes overseen by Aalto’s wife Elissa Aalto, also an architect.

Working in consult with each other, Louis Carré and the Aaltos’ decided on the building materials, chosen to age well and connect the house to its French location while reflecting in many ways the Aaltos’ famous Nordic style.

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The team selected Chartres limestone for solid masonry elements, lime-washed bricks providing texture and soft color, Normandy blue slate on key roofing surfaces, teak and ash for interior joinery (connecting wooden objects and structures), and copper accents that will develop a patina over time.

The plan adapted to the building’s sloping site with two levels. Communal and private rooms were situated on the ground floor, rooms for the housekeepers were above, and a basement contains functional spaces for a wine cellar, boiler room and housing needs.

Art dealer Louis Carré has begun to schedule public art installations at his house. The most current exhibit is Quiet Hours, through Nov. 30. For Quiet Hours, Maison Louis Carré invited three young Finnish artists — visual artist Karoliina Hellberg, ceramic artist Tero Kuitunen and sculptor Raimo Saarinen — to make a joint installation in the house.

© Karoliina Hellberg

“Spending time at Maison Louis Carré in the spring allowed us to settle into a rhythm of waiting and observation,” said the three artists. “The furniture by Alvar and Elissa Aalto brought a sense of homely familiarity, but beneath that comfort stirred a layer of strangeness, history, and a whisper of something past, something we could not fully grasp, yet felt drawn toward,” they said.  “The swimming pool especially echoed with the glamour of a bygone era.”