Chantemerle

Chantemerle is located in the Deux-Sevres department (Poitou-Charentes region) in the western-centre of France at 43 km from Niort, the department capital. Chantemerle is 327 km from Paris and 506 km from the port at Calais. And it is 3 km from Moutiers Sous Chantemerle.

Deux-Sevres literally means "two Sevres": the Sevre Nantaise and the Sevre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. Chantemerle - chant and merle means black bird song. Chantemerle's way of life is based on a warm, beautiful and healthy climate.

The Chantemerle Castle is private property. It can be seen from the road that links up Chantemerle to Breuil Barret.
The Chantemerle Castle may have been what followed on from a fortress surrounded by moats built at the village known as « Le Petit Chateau », about one hundred meters away.

Built by the Duke of Beauvilliers this castle was inherited by the Choiseul d'Harcourt family who built the magnificent Chantemerle Chapel. Later on, it was passed on by the Countess of Avary and it remained the property of her descendants. Today it belongs to Mrs Leliиvre who bought it in 1995.

This Castle used to be a hunting lodge ; nobody ever lived there on a regular basis. The Prince of Chalais (in the 19th century), the Duke of Beauvilliers' son-in-law visited this property that he had inherited frequently. A wide alleyway was built to gain easier access to the forest for the hunts that he organised.

During the ww2 some refugees settled in the castle for a long period of time.

The Chapel

The Chapel is part of the Chantemerle estate. It is a wonderful work of art and has been very well kept. The Prince of Chalais was so sad after his wife 's death that he decided to have this splendour built in her memory in 1861. The inside is really amazing for people who enter for the first time.

This is an old post card with the image of Chantemerle chapel. Of course, now this is a historical relic.

This is the Chapel as at is today.

Many legends are associated with the Chantemerle Forest. Among the most famous ones, there is the headless rider, the treasure of the forest fountain and the white doe. The last wolves that lived in this forest disappeared in 1880.