Issue No. 19

The family have hardly changed
anything but maintained the integrity
and historic beauty of the chateau for
future generations. There’s no central
heating and in a big castle like this, it
can get very cold in the winter. “We
have hot water bottles” says the
Duchess laughing.
Thanks to this determination to keep
the chateau authentic, a guided tour
reveals the exquisite footprints of
history in every room. Unlike some
chateaux the French Revolution
didn’t leave its mark.
Legend has it that the when the
revolutionaries arrived to take the
widowed Marquise to prison, the
family explained that she was in her
80s and was dying and they
persuaded the mob to come back
when she had passed, which was
predicted to be soon. The old lady did
die a few weeks later but the canny
family put her body in a barrel of
brandy. When the revolutionaries
returned, the family retrieved the
body, put it in bed and pretended the
old lady was still ill. The revolutionaries
insisted on seeing her and
agreed that she really didn’t look
well. This went on until the French
Revolution calmed down and the
chateau survived. To this day says
the Duchess, no one knows what day
the Marquise actually died on, so
they put 14 July 1978 on her grave.
Guided visits are available daily
(March to November), in English in
summer months, and there are
events throughout the year. It's
especially kid-friendly with lots to do.
Dont miss the delicious tea room and
irresistible shop where you can buy
the Estate's wine and fab souvenirs.
www.chateaudesully.com
Top: Amelie, Duchesse de Magenta with
her sister Charlotte with some wine
made from the Chateau's estate. Above:
the incredible stone sculptures that
represent the pieces from a Marquis'
coronet