Chalais Castle

Built on a promontory overlooking the town of Chalais, this imposing château is the birthplace of the Talleyrand-Périgord family. Access to the main courtyard is via a 16th-century drawbridge, one of the few still in use in France. The main body of the Renaissance-style dwelling, flanked by projecting pavilions, attracts attention with its very 17th-century façade and its high slate roofs, rare in the Charente. Finally, a high square 14th-century tower with machicolation dominates the valley. A tour of the château will take you in the footsteps of the Talleyrand-Périgord family: the ceremonial gallery, the fine staircase leading to the reception room of the Princes of Chalais, the dining room with its original ceiling, the bird room, the treasure room, the prince’s bedroom, the small chapel built following a family tragedy… and history: the story of a family and the…

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