Château de Valençay
Talleyrand acquired this château in 1803 on the orders of Napoleon, who wanted his minister of foreign affairs to receive dignitaries in style. The d’Estampes family built Valençay in 1520. The dungeon and west tower are of this period, as is the main body of the building, but other wings were added in the 17th and 18th centuries. The effect is grandiose, all domes and turrets. The apartments are sumptuously furnished, mostly in the Empire style, but with Louis XV and Louis XVI trappings as well. A star-footed table in the main drawing room is said to have been the one on which the final agreement of the Congress of Vienna was signed in June 1815 (Talleyrand represented France).
After your visit to the château, take a walk through the garden and deer park. Kids will enjoy plenty of activities here, including a giant labyrinth, a miniature farm, a playground, and a golf cart circuit through the forest. A few nights each summer the château and its grounds return to the Renaissance, decked out with thousands of candles, costumed performers, and musical entertainment (see website for details).
Classic car enthusiasts’ motors can get revved up at the Musée de l’Automobile de Valençay, situated a mere 200m (656 ft.) from the château. The exhibit shows the evolution of the automobile with over 60 antique vehicles, including a rare tandem style pulley-operated Bédélia (ca. 1914).
Talleyrand acquired this château in 1803 on the orders of Napoleon, who wanted his minister of foreign affairs to receive dignitaries in style. The d’Estampes family built Valençay in 1520. The dungeon and west tower are of this period, as is the main body of the building, but other wings were added in the 17th and 18th centuries. The effect is grandiose, all domes and turrets. The apartments are sumptuously furnished, mostly in the Empire style, but with Louis XV and Louis XVI trappings as well. A star-footed table in the main drawing room is said to have been the one on which the final agreement of the Congress of Vienna was signed in June 1815 (Talleyrand represented France).
After your visit to the château, take a walk through the garden and deer park. Kids will enjoy plenty of activities here, including a giant labyrinth, a miniature farm, a playground, and a golf cart circuit through the forest. A few nights each summer the château and its grounds return to the Renaissance, decked out with thousands of candles, costumed performers, and musical entertainment (see website for details).
Classic car enthusiasts’ motors can get revved up at the Musée de l’Automobile de Valençay, situated a mere 200m (656 ft.) from the château. The exhibit shows the evolution of the automobile with over 60 antique vehicles, including a rare tandem style pulley-operated Bédélia (ca. 1914).
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