Twenty-five kilometres from Blois, the slender spires of Talcy emerge from the agricultural fields of of the Blois country. Visit this sixteenth century château, whose destiny has been marked by poets, and discover a unique decor, preserved since the eighteenth century, and an indoor orchard.
The old manor house
The Lordly manor of Talcy already existed in the thirteenth century, but the current château is the result of transformations made by the Florentine banker Bernard Salviati, who became the owner on November 8, 1517. This old manor house, with its agricultural connections is a contemporary of Chambord and larger châteaux of the Renaissance, despite retaining the appearance of a building from the late Middle Ages.
The facade has a large square tower above the entrance porch, two tall hexagonal turrets crowned with crenellations and a covered walkway. The buildings, forming two wings at right angles, overlook the main courtyard, which is embellished by an ornate well, decorated with columns. In the barnyard, a wine press and a dovecote are among the most remarkable in the region.
In an exceptional state of conservation, the wood panelled apartments are home to a suite of 18th century furniture made by famous Parisian cabinetmakers as well as rare Indian painted canvases, set into the woodwork of the dining room. Classified as a Historical Monument, Talcy shows how agreeable to live during the Enlightenment if you were rich, and contributes greatly to the interest of the monument.
A house so gently human, that anyone would dream of living here...
The castle of Talcy
The gardens of Talcy
With nearly 7 hectares of walled gardens offering views out over the glorious farm land, the agricultural vocation of the château estate is very much in evidence. Take an enchanting walk around the kitchen garden, with its many species renewed as the seasons pass.
Since 1997, the gardens of Talcy have also been home to an orchard which gathers together a collection of fruit varieties cultivated in trellised or natural tree form. All the different cultivated spaces are also planted with flower beds.
A château of poets
Perhaps little known outside his homeland, but considered a giant of poetry at home, Pierre de Ronsard composed a number of sonnets for Cassandre Salviati at Talcy. These include his most famous work "Mignonne, allons voir si la rose..."
Diane, the niece of Cassandre served in her turn as muse for another French poet, Agrippa d'Aubigné. One of the last owners of the château in the nineteenth century, Albert Stapfer, was the first translator of the German poet Goethe, including the famous Faust, illustrated for the first edition by the painter Eugene Delacroix.
A place of political significance
During the Wars of Religion, the Talcy Conference was held here in 1562, bringing together the most illustrious representatives of the Reformed and Catholic parties for the last time. The Many of them stayed in the Catherine de Medici and Charles IX suites.