Ersatz Chateaux

As a Frenchman, I have always been somewhat amused as to the large number of “French chateau”-inspired properties in Southern California. From Northridge to Newport Beach, it appears as if everyone has their own idea, invariably incorrect, as to what French chateaux look like.

However, the “prize winning” Marriott Hotel in Century City, described in “Visual Oases in Urban L.A.” (April 2) has gone too far.

If the architect had, indeed, designed this building to look like a French chateau, I can only assume that the contractor picked up the blueprints for the local VA hospital by mistake.

Perhaps if you distribute pictures of real French chateaux to local architectural and building firms, you might win a Pulitzer, or something, for the furtherance of taste in Los Angeles.

MICHEL MEGE

Sherman Oaks