At the Château de Valençay, a gem for comedies and vaudevilles

He was asleep, and no one cared. During most of the XX^e century, the theater of the Château de Valençay has been forgotten. “It was used as a warehouse and Valencians told me they didn’t even know it existed”, underlines Sylvie Giroux, the director of the domain thanks to whom the theater reopened its doors to the public, in 2012. It is a jewel. A little brother of the Théâtre de la Reine at Versailles, without gold leaf, but with an Empire elegance: antique-inspired friezes, a large crystal chandelier, two majestic statues of Comedy and Tragedy, a floor with approximately 200 seats and, on the balcony, the box of Prince Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838).

Until it reopened to the public in 2012, the place was used as a warehouse

It was he who wanted this theatre. There were none when he bought the Château de Valençay in 1803. Napoleon encouraged him to do so. The First Consul wanted his minister for foreign relations to have “beautiful land” to receive the diplomatic corps and notable foreigners. We do not know if Napoleon gave money to Talleyrand, who had plenty of it and knew how to earn it. He actually bought “beautiful land” south of the Loire: 12,000 hectares, with a majestic castle. Built between the Renaissance and the XVIII^e century, it dominates the Nahon valley, which crosses Valençay. From the terrace, the gaze is lost in the green of Berry.

Talleyrand, who had no connection with this countryside, came to like it very much. He stayed there often, especially in the fall. He hardly made any changes to the castle, except to furnish it sumptuously, and to have the steps of the grand staircase lowered, because of his club foot. During the first years, he came with his wife, the Princess of Bénévent. In 1808, Napoleon, with whom he was in semi-disgrace, forced him to receive the Infante Ferdinand, his brother Don Carlos and their uncle Don Antonio, three princes of Spain whom he had exiled to France to give the throne to his brother Joseph Bonaparte. Talleyrand welcomed them and did not return until their departure in March 1814. A year later, he caused a sensation by appearing at the Congress of Vienna with his niece by marriage, the Duchess of Dino, his new and great love, thirty-nine years her junior.

Preserved decorations

So begins the second life of Talleyrand in Valençay. The statesman, who will have worked under all the regimes, from the Revolution to the Restoration, is involved in local life: he is mayor of the city of Valençay from 1826 to 1831, and councilor of the Indre de 1829 to 1836. In his domain, he led the life of a man of the Enlightenment who never renounced the Old Regime ways. Luxury and refinement, intellectual and sensual. Its kitchens are for a time presided over by Carême, its art of receiving in its ” retirement “, lavish. Holidays flow between readings, walks, receptions and entertainment, including the theater.

You have 54.77% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.