Nemours Mansion & Gardens -Wilmington, DE

Nemours is all around spectacular. It exists as a perfectly preserved piece of the Gilded Age, seemingly untouched by the hands of time. With acres of glorious gardens, and a mansion designed by Carrère and Hastings, it will exceed any grand estate expectations you may have.

Constructed in 1910 as a gift to Alfred I. duPont’s Francophile second wife Jessie, the massive 77 room mansion was modeled after Versailles’ Petit Trianon. Designed in the Rococo style, it is an absolute architectural masterpiece, showcasing every excess of the era.

Solidly built of granite, the mansion’s 47,0000 square feet features exotic woods, marble, intricate moldings, and faux finishes. Indeed, no expense was spared by duPont to impress his bride, and this attention to detail survives to this day. Additionally, unlike many gutted Gilded Age estates, here the original decor remains intact, featuring over 110,000 items ( including a clock made for Marie Antoinette), making it an absolute immersive experience.

While the first floor contains a collection of expertly designed rooms, including a heavily paneled Library with an elaborate plaster ceiling, and a dignified Drawing room, it is the Conservatory that invites the guest to linger. A light filled soaring space, with views of the garden, it manages to be both elegant and informal.

Located at the other end of the house, and design spectrum, is the dining room. Exceeding formal, it features a portrait of Louis XVI at one end, and Marie Antoinette at the other. Above, an elaborate ceiling and a spectacular crystal chandelier, believed to have come from Vienna’s Schonbrunn Palace.

No grand house is complete without a stunning staircase, and Nemours certainly does not disappoint. Graceful yet substantial, it features a soaring stained glass window, designed by duPont’s son, elaborate ironwork, and a chandelier once owned by Lafayette. The second floor houses several bedrooms, sitting rooms and surprisingly modern bathrooms, all of which are impressive. Noteworthy features include lighting fixtures and furniture, including the bed in the Venetian Room.

And then there are the gardens. Also inspired by Versailles, the grounds include the finest example of a formal French garden in America. Nemours really has it all, including a grand vista, boxwoods, statuary and reflecting pools. With 222 acres of both formal and natural space, the grounds are an absolute Eden.

The rear of the house contains a serene Frog Pond, with a boxwood garden to the south; however, it is the long urn lined Vista in front of the house that steals the landscape design show. Gently sloping away from the mansion, the Vista leads the eye to a large reflecting pool, a gleaming statue, and an impressive colonnade, a memorial to duPont’s great grandfather. Europe has come to you.

Designed by Gabriel Massena and duPont’s son Alfred Victor, the 1928 Sunken Gardens are outstanding. Featuring walls and steps of Italian travertine, and statuary of Carrara marble, it is a serene space with a sight line straight to a stone temple, containing a bronze statue of Diana the Huntress. A vast and varied landscape, you could easily spend all day exploring the grounds.

While Alfred I. duPont died in 1935, his wife Jessie remained at the estate until her death in 1970. Ownership of the estate then reverted to the Nemours Foundation, which per Alfred’s instructions opened the property to the public. In 2010, the property completed a 3.5 year, $39 million restoration, which returned both the mansion and the gardens to their Gilded Age glory.