Marthe de Florian on her wedding day

I’ve been saving this gem until the French edition of A Paris Apartment had a few months to breathe. It came out in September and I didn’t want to steal any thunder. But now, especially after the U.S. version hit both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, I have to share! My French publisher managed to get the original auctioneer, the man who actually saw the shuttered-for-seventy-years apartment for the first time!, to write a forward to the book. I teared up when I first read this. So incredible.

Click here for a translated description of the REAL apartment, which includes stunning description of Boldini’s portrait of Marthe de Florian: “The background of the picture was intentionally dark, of a neutral color intended only to bring out the perfect complexion of the flesh, and wispy pleated silky dress…”  I also loved this part: “a neighbor, longtime resident of the building…made it known that she had never seen anyone enter or leave this place for over fifty years.”

Here is the full French Edition insert. All credit goes to my amazing publisher Éditions des Falaises for their incredible job.