By David Northington
Professor Emeritus David Northington spent nearly 40 years of his life teaching piano at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, and The New York Times has described him as “an immensely gifted musician.” His career has taken him around the world, most recently to France and the 16th-century Chateau de Thoiry.
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live like royalty in a French chateau? My family and I were fortunate to experience a small glimpse of this lifestyle during a trip to France in March 2025.
Located about 35 miles west of Paris, the Chateau de Thoiry sits in the heart of the French countryside. Approaching the estate was an experience in itself, as we traveled through the lush meadows and woods before approaching the magnificent chateau at the top of a hill.
The mile-long vista leading to the entrance of the chateau is lined with gardens and 250-year-old lime trees. When we finally arrived at the gate, it was quite exciting to see the chateau’s owner Viscount Paul de La Panouse driving up to greet us with a warm welcome.
Our visit had been arranged by our dear friend Maria Cooper Janis, the daughter of Gary Cooper and the wife of my mentor and friend, Byron Janis—one of the greatest pianists of his era who passed away in March 2023. Byron and Maria had remained good friends of the viscount following Byron’s first visit to the estate in 1967, when he discovered the original manuscripts of two waltzes by Frederic Chopin in the chateau’s archives.
When Maria learned I was planning a trip to Paris with my wife, son, and my son’s family, she insisted that we meet Paul de La Panouse.
As we walked through the apartments on the ground level of the mansion, we saw extraordinary works of art, including portraits of the viscount’s ancestors through the generations. There were numerous cabinets and tables containing priceless artifacts, jewels, and pieces of art. Of particular interest to me was a beautiful (but inoperable) 17th-century harpsichord adorned with an intricate painting of the French countryside.
My wife was drawn to a particularly lovely vase in one of the cabinets. When she commented on it, the viscount shared its remarkable history. That vase, he explained, was a gift to his great-great-grandmother from Marie Antoinette upon her visit to the chateau. Such were the pieces-de-art everywhere we looked.
After our tour, the viscount invited us to lunch in his grand dining room, adorned with priceless tapestries, drapes, and paintings, as well as incredible period furniture. Of course, the food was magnificent, but the conversation was even better.
The viscount, who descends from one of the remaining families of nobility in France, treated us like royalty, and his unmatched hospitality will be remembered for the rest of our lives.
