Now in paperback, this book is a gorgeous celebration of warm, intimate and quintessentially French country retreats. Epitomizing what the French call ''l'art de vivre'' (the art of good living), ''The French Country House'' is a breathtaking invitation to share the charm of these private countryside dwellings. Here are beloved places of retreat--old manor houses, small chateaus, stud farms, even a former convent--that, because of their great age and accumulated memories, provide endless delight for family and friends. Each country house is a treasure trove of history, with beautiful furnishings as well as family albums, faded love letters, attics full of old toys, fancy dresses, retired pianos, left-over brocades and wallpapers--even libraries hidden at the tops of towers. ''The French Country House ''is rich with the colors, texture, and histories of these treasured homes.