Why a Bergère is the Perfect French Chair, and Where to Find One!

Find out why the French Bergère chair is the perfect armchair for a living space, as well as where to find the best ones!

There is nothing quite like the perfect arm chair in a living space. And of course, since I’m partial to French style in general, I just adore a good French chair! Bergère chairs are versatile, classic, and comfortable (which not all armchairs are).

For those of you not familiar with it, a Bergère is a chair designed in the Louis XV style, with an upholstered back and arms, and fitted with a loose tailored seat cushion. These antique French chairs typically featured wood frames that were either gilded or painted and were upholstered with fine fabrics.

And to me, that is key! Today, these chairs are often upholstered in simple fabrics, like linen, ticking, or even burlap. And that’s what I love! As I’ve shared before, I love French style, but my take on it is a bit more casual. I love the juxtaposition of a gilded armchair covered in simple linen. Or gold mirrors in a room with distressed furniture and a seagrass rug.

The high/low mix is what really speaks to me. Without that bit of casualness thrown in, for me it can feel too fussy. But that mix of styles, the casual with the ornate, the rustic with the elegant, is the essence of casual chic style!

THIS POST MAY INCLUDE AFFILIATE LINKS. CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY.

 

The Always Perfect, Always Versatile, French Bergère Chair!

bergere chair fireplace stunning vignetteThis one is gilded, and is one of my all-time favorite images! Design by Renea Abbott via Veranda magazine.

 

bergere chair neutral master bedroomVia Alice Lane Home.

 

bergere chair beautiful living room loi thaiBeautiful living room with a pale version of a Bergère chair. By Loi Thai of Tone on Tone.

 

bergere chair white family roomMy friend Sonja’s beautiful house with a white French chair. You can find more of her inspirational home here.

 

And Where to Find Them!

When I was looking for mine, they weren’t nearly as easy to find as they are now! I purchased them at a local resale store, but frankly, had I been able to find ones as pretty (and reasonable!) as now, I most likely would have bought new!

Below you’ll find some of my favorite French chairs; in different finishes and styles and at different price points. Some are very inexpensive, and some are more of an investment.

You can also look for a genuine vintage or antique (which I almost always prefer) but sometimes there just isn’t time to shop for those. They are also often more expensive than the reproductions are.

Some good sites online for antique French chairs are Etsy,  Ebay, and 1st Dibs. I’ve also known designer friends to find them in thrift shops or Goodwill stores. But if you’re in a hurry, don’t want used, or simply don’t love the “chase,” then one of these might just fill the bill!

French bergere chairs graphic on Maison de Cinq

 

  1. I love the size and slightly updated version of this one.
  2. The straight back of this chair creates a modern silhouette.
  3. This feels fresh and classic at the same time!
  4. This is the essence of a classic French bergère.
  5. Love the nail head trim on this chair!
  6. The pretty striped fabric on this one keeps it interesting.  
  7. And this chair is so unique with it’s gray color mixed with burlap.
  8. This classic French accent chair is a steal! 
  9. Probably my favorite one of the bunch – I love the caning!

 

Click to shop even more fab French chairs!

 

I hope this has inspired you to shop for your own French chair! Let me know if there are any great ones out there that I missed!

Sheila
xo

French bergere chairs graphic on Maison de Cinq

 

 

And for even more French inspiration, check out some of these other posts below!

Ten Stunning Rustic French Country Chandeliers

The Best French Farmhouse Dining Tables – for LESS!

50+ Fabulous French Country Finds at Walmart!

 

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34 Comments

  1. Dear Sheila,

    I love your blog and all the products displayed. I am so keen on buying a Berger chair for my home in Cyprus and I have no idea how to get hold of one them. Please advise if any of the distributors in the US are distributing to my corner of the world!?

    Thank you in advance!

    With kindest regards,
    Jaana

    1. Hi there Jaana – thank you so much for your kind words! As far as chairs, I really don’t know which websites ship to Europe or other parts of the world. Your best bet is to shop the post (click on chairs you like) and then once on the website go to the bottom of the page and look for shipping information to see if they ship to your country. Many websites (like Wayfair, Walmart and others) have European versions of their websites so hopefully you’ll get lucky!

      Thanks so much for stopping by and good luck!

      Sheila

  2. Hi Sheila, tried to buy several chairs and more you post, always unavailable. I have an Antique Women’s boudoir chair, needs to be fixed, springs and all. The shape is gorgeous, the legs cabriole and a darling chair. What could I sell it for? Or a price to redo if you can even find anyone? Love the site and French grandma. Just got my chicken lamp fixed the lamp guy said everyone wanted to buy! Needed rewriting. Merci beaucoup !

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that Bliss – I will go update some of the links today! Unfortunately things sell out soo fast so it’s hard to stay on top of it!

      As to your chair if it’s got great ‘bones’ I wouldn’t sell it I’d just recover it! Find an upholsterer in your area. Usually you can pick a fabric through them as well. Or you could sell it on FB Marketplace – I’ve done well selling there. Either way good luck to you! And thanks for stopping by!

      Sheila

  3. I love this style of chair as well! I’m always looking at consignment shops for them…never know what you will find. And eventually the ones I have I may reupholster, but I enjoy a casual slipcover in white or gray too. Love to hear others have the same appreciation. Thanks

  4. Do these French chairs have to be in a light wood or can they be in a dark mahogany wood ?

  5. I too love French style. I’ve been searching for a bergere chair with toile fabric but haven’t had any luck thus far, but I’ll continue the search. I appreciate your article which I hope will bring me closer to finding the perfect bergere chair.

  6. Can a pair of bergere chairs be used if there are not any other French pieces in the home?

      1. The only thing I would keep in mind is to try and keep the same “leg” for all the chairs in one room. For example, the straight up and down as in 2, 6 and 9 represent the Louis XVI style while the others with the curved leg are more remeniscent of Louis XV. The sofa may be other, as long as it’s a basic, non specific leg, it should blend in fine.

  7. Sheila,
    Thank you so much for this post. I absolutely love Bergere chairs. I plan on having at least two of them when I move into my home in the country.

  8. Oh my gosh, this is a great post! I love number 9 the best though all are pretty. Thank you again! Your chair in white is beautiful ! I love looking at these pictures and wonder where they purchase all their wonderful decor. That picture over the fireplace is really fitting. That mirror !

  9. These chairs are so classic, and a definite favorite! I’ve always loved them and love the inspiring examples here too – thanks for the inspiration!

  10. Hi there:
    I love bergère chairs also. But you are using the wrong accent over the ‘e’ in your spelling of ‘bergère’. You have used l’accent aigu (example: marché), which emphasizes the ‘e’ sound so that you say it separately. The correct accent is l’accent grave (example: après), which indicates that the e sound is integrated into a word, rather than emphasized. Bergère is the correct way to spell it.

    The two accents denote different sounds also, but I will leave that for you to discover.

    1. Oh my gosh, thank you so much for letting me know! I feel so badly I had spelled it wrong – I did check before I posted it but I realize now the source I used was wrong, haha! But I’m so glad you told me and they’re all fixed 😉

      Thanks for stopping by and for taking the time to comment!

      Sheila

  11. I love them all! Thank you SO much for posting such great information on Bergere chairs! I have had two in my living room for years and I’ve recovered them a few times. Right now they have a Ralph Lauren floral print on them but everything is going so neutral, I may have to change them up. Finding a good upholsterer is sometimes a challenge. My bergere chairs have always been my favorite chairs in the house. I want to buy more after reading your article. Thank you Sheila! ❤️

    1. Aww I’m so glad to hear that Kimberly! They are absolutely a true classic and good for you for recovering them and not just buying something new!! I agree finding an upholsterer is sometimes hard, especially at a good price. I’ve found them but then when I need them again they seem to be retired or out of business! I guess I don’t re-upholster enough!

      Thanks so much for stopping by!

  12. I too like the Bergere chair . I have four of them. My favorite is the leather one with the ottoman. If I dribble a chocolate covered cheery on it it cleans up in a hurry lol. My kind of chair.

    1. Yay! Aren’t they the BEST?!! So perfect and classic – they seriously never go out of style! And they look good with everything, I even love them in modern rooms.

      And I love #3! I’m tempted to get more:)

      Sheila
      xo

      1. Hi Sheila,
        do you know if #3 can be found anywhere? I clicked and got a dead link.

        1. Hi and thanks for your interest! That one was Soft Surroundings and they don’t sell it anymore, sorry!

          Thanks for stopping by!

    1. Thank you so much Susan!

      And many thanks for stopping by the blog and taking the time to comment – I so appreciate it!

      Sheila
      xo

  13. Love Bergeres! Have several pairs… the antique ones are a little cuter( I think it is because they are smaller?) but the new ones are much more comfy! Thank you for sharing these pretty pics!!

    1. I agree! Of course, anything antique is cuter (except maybe men!;))

      Thanks much Angelina – and Happy Weekend!

      Sheila
      xo

  14. Bergere chairs always lend an air of excellence in any room. And, they look like they would be really comfortable to sit in. Yours is very pretty in white linen. It looks great in the room.
    Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi

    1. Thanks so much Carol! I do love them too – especially because they are stylish and comfortable!

      Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to comment. I so appreciate it!

      Sheila
      xo