Fineo Solar Control restores radiance to a Belle Époque conservatory

The Beauty and the Glass

Located 800 m from the thermal baths at Saint-Honoré-Les-Bains (Nièvre), in the southern part of the Morvan Regional Nature Park, the Domaine des Myosotis has been superbly renovated in line with the desire of its current owners Dick Quist and Cees van Eijk to respect as closely as possible the unique charm of the original bastide house. Built at the end of the 19th century, this elegant residence was topped in 1915 by a tower, joined by a conservatory that not only sheltered and passively warmed the exotic plants of the time, but also beautifully extended the space for private receptions held at the height of this noble building's heyday.

Today transformed into luxurious guest rooms, the imposing property remains, with its brick and ashlar façade and wrought-iron balconies, an emblematic representation of the spa architecture of the ‘Belle Époque’, while benefiting from the aesthetic appeal of renovated steel joinery and the most advanced thermal performance. And with the solar control version of Fineo vacuum insulating glazing, of unrivalled thinness (just 7.7 mm thick), it ensures thermal comfort and a pleasant temperature for occupants all year round.  

From the refurbished conservatory, a combination of glass and steel subtly tinted ochre, the view is an admirable plunge into the parkland; and the floor, which has retained the delicacy of its mosaic, enhances the refinement of the furnishings, bringing back the charm of the past to the heart of this majestic veranda, a privileged place for conviviality during meals.

High light and energy transmission for exceptional glass

Dick Quist and Cees van Eijk were looking for an ideal level of ambient and visual comfort, and solar control glass that would preserve the character of the old structure while preventing overheating at lunch and dinner times. They chose Fineo, ‘the only glass that can be delicately inserted between the window frames without altering the unique character of the conservatory’, says co-manager Dick Quist. Xavier Flasse, Fineo Sales Manager for France at AGC Glass Europe, highlights the advantages and features of this vacuum insulation glass:

‘Fineo combines the energy performance of triple glazing with a thinness of around 8 mm, so replacing obsolete single glazing is possible without damaging the architectural heritage. For the Solar Control series, a selective low-emissivity solar protection coating is applied in the 0.1 mm cavity. The glass provides optimum thermal insulation in winter while protecting against overheating in summer. The Fineo SC 73/39 glazing used here offers a thermal insulation coefficient of 0.7 W/(m²K), with an overall energy consumption of just 41% and guaranteed light transmission of 74%.

A sophisticated solution for the restoration of historic windows

Mayor Didier Bourlon also stresses the importance of restoring the Belle Époque architecture with integrity, a source of attraction for the thermal baths on the edge of the Morvan Natural Park. And he recalls the virtues of the baths, already recognised 500 years ago in Roman times, which became fashionable throughout Europe in the second half of the 19th century, a sign of wealth and prosperity for the burgeoning bourgeoisie, reaching as far as Saint-Honoré-les-Bains, where the thermal baths, elegant hotels and private villas mark this period with splendour and character. ‘Insulating and renovating this heritage, particularly the windows, is extremely difficult,’ says Didier Bourlon. ‘The delicacy of the windows contributes significantly to the typical aesthetic of spa architecture. Fineo vacuum insulating glazing offers a first-rate solution here,’ he concludes.

A unique finish

Following the window renovations, the change was immediately noticeable. ‘Even with an outside temperature of 35°C, the interior of the conservatory was noticeably cooler, despite the amplitude of the glazed façade,’ enthuses Dick Quist, praising the ease of maintenance of the glazing, which is exceptionally light and therefore easy to handle, as each single pane had to be installed with millimetric precision. ‘I was personally very impressed by the ease with which Fineo's approved installers were able to install the windows without any problems.

Xavier Flasse agrees,

‘With Fineo, Dick and Cees have found a glass that optimally meets architectural, energy, economic and sustainability requirements. The insulating properties of the glazing are guaranteed for at least 60 years, thanks to their vacuum technology. What's more, Fineo is lead-free and 100% recyclable. Manufactured exclusively in Belgium, it comes with a 20-year guarantee and is the first and only ultra-insulating vacuum glazing to have obtained Avis Technique certification in France.