The family have hardly changed anything but maintained the integrity and historic beauty of the chateau for future generations. There’s no central heating and in a big castle like this, it can get very cold in the winter. “We have hot water bottles” says the Duchess laughing.
Thanks to this determination to keep the chateau authentic, a guided tour reveals the exquisite footprints of history in every room. Unlike some chateaux the French Revolution didn’t leave its mark.
Legend has it that the when the revolutionaries arrived to take the widowed Marquise to prison, the family explained that she was in her 80s and was dying and they persuaded the mob to come back when she had passed, which was predicted to be soon. The old lady did die a few weeks later but the canny family put her body in a barrel of brandy. When the revolutionaries returned, the family retrieved the body, put it in bed and pretended the old lady was still ill. The revolutio- naries insisted on seeing her and agreed that she really didn’t look well. This went on until the French Revolution calmed down and the chateau survived. To this day says the Duchess, no one knows what day the Marquise actually died on, so they put 14 July 1978 on her grave.
Guided visits are available daily (March to November), in English in summer months, and there are events throughout the year. It's especially kid-friendly with lots to do.
Dont miss the delicious tea room and irresistible shop where you can buy the Estate's wine and fab souvenirs.
Top: Amelie, Duchesse de Magenta with her sister Charlotte with some wine made from the Chateau's estate. Above: the incredible stone sculptures that represent the pieces from a Marquis' coronet