History
History (with a capital H) has encountered Chissay several times over the centuries. Located between Montrichard and Chenonceaux, this former fortified castle was built under Charles VII for treasurer of France Pierre de Bérard, husband of Anne de Ronsard. Charles VII and Louis XI stayed here, as numerous royal acts attest.
Château de Chissay
Built in the 12th century and refurbished in the 16th, Château de Chissay was transformed into a charming hotel in 1986. Furnished in the eighteenth century, with its mosaic bathrooms, it exudes an uncommon charm.
A former fortified castle, this historic residence has preserved its 13th-century keep and chapel. Two towers and a courtyard with an Italian-style portico date from the Renaissance. The dormer windows are Gothic, and the cellars, dug into the rock, have been converted into reception rooms. Louis XI himself rested here, barefoot, during his pilgrimages to the Chapelle de Nanteuil. Established as a Seigneurie in January 1444, Chissay passed from noble family to noble family until the St Genix de Beauregard family sold it in 1952.
It was at the Château de Chissay that Paul Reynaud, head of the French government, set up his headquarters in June 1940. In the great hall, conferences were held between political leaders, the London Ambassador and military leaders, including General Weygand, supreme commander. General de Gaulle arrived at the Château on June 12 to meet the President of the Council. When, against his advice, it was decided to transfer the government to Bordeaux, General de Gaulle flew from Chissay to London. It was June 17. The next day, he broadcast his historic Appeal to the French people.