Chateau de Champchevrier

Our evening at Chateau de Champchevrier was one of our top five experiences on this trip, perhaps top two depending upon which one of us you ask as we spent a private evening with one of the owners of the estate. The original chateau dated back to 1253 although the structures that stand today were rebuilt during the 16th and 18th centuries. The chateau has been owned by the Baron of Champchevrier and his descendants since 1728. The current Baron (at the time of our visit, he was the heir apparent but since our visit, his father passed away and he is now the Baron) was our host for the evening and regaled us with stories of the expansion of the buildings, how the chateau survived the French Revolution and two world wars with little to no damages and how the land is used today. The gates of the chateau were stormed during the revolution; during WWI, the chateau was used as a military hospital and the family was trained to care for soldiers, nursing 115, only one of whom died; and during WWII, the chateau was the site of the UK embassy for a few weeks, before it was taken over by Germans who requisitioned two rooms. Later, when the Americans arrived, the estate was used as a trading camp and planes took off and landed in the fields.

The third baron started the hunting tradition, which is the heart and soul of the chateau today. There are currently 90 hounds living on the estate and at times, it sounded like we could hear each and everyone of them barking! The houses, which are French English, are seen by a vet twice a week. There are currently 24 puppies. There are stag hunts on the estate twice a week during season and the dogs are a crucial part of the hunt. Each hunt can have as few as 7 hunters or as many as 90; 26 stags were killed last year. There are both male and female dogs that hunt as a pack and it is very important for them to work as one. They can only go after one stag; if they chase more than one, the hunt is called off.

Dinner with the Baron at the Chateau de Champchevrier was one of the fanciest nights of our trip.

We had champagne and hors d'oeuvre while watching the hound demonstration.

 

We had several demonstrations of how they call the hounds during the hunt.

 

The Baron, explaining the various elements of the hunt to us.

It is tradition that a chateau accommodate distinguished guests, including the king. The Royal Chamber was reserved for the king (and only the king) if and when he visited the chateau. King Louis XIII visited Champchevrier several times.

Listening to more about the family history at the chateau.

Our group was served an exquisite dinner in the dining room before the Baron again spoke about how his grandmother shrewdly kept the chateau from falling into enemy hands during WWII.

Returning from an incredible evening.