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Origin and history

The castle of Chacenay, built in the 13th century as a medieval fortress, was renowned for its ramparts, its dungeon (now destroyed), its ditches and its drawbridge. It was the cradle of the powerful family of the lords of Chacenay, often besieged, and finally destroyed by order of Louis XI in 1474 after a siege led by Léger de Dinteville against Charles the Temerary. The castle was rebuilt on its original plan, without the dungeon, and became a symbol of feudal struggles in Champagne.

In the 19th century, after a fire during the French Revolution, the castle was saved from destruction by the brothers Arthur and Edmond Bertherand, who entrusted its restoration to renowned architects: Jean-Baptiste Lassus (co-author of the works of Notre-Dame) and Viollet-le-Duc, who added a neo-Gothic staircase. The interior decorations were made by Charles Vivet. In 1862 Arthur Bertherand meubled him in the style of the era. The site, classified as a historical monument, now houses a collection of manuscripts and autographs.

The castle is distinguished by its triple ditch and a courtine high of 25 meters, remains of its defensive past. The fortified gate (registered in 1926), the courtyards, the chapel, the well and the access bridge (classified in 1990) testify to its architectural evolution. Acquisé in 1988 by Panos and Lina Pervanas, it was restored to its charm of Dantan. Visitable by appointment, it embodies the heritage of the great families of Champagne, such as the Choiseul or the Delpech of Méreville, whose tombs remain in the local church.

Its complex history reflects the feudal divisions: the dungeon belonged to the king of Burgundy, the Big Tour of the Counts of Troyes, and the rest of the bishop. In 1278, the fief of Sainte-Parise was dismembered for Érard IV de Chacenay, illustrating local rivalries. The first stone castle, attested in 1285, consisted of two distinct parts connected by a gallery. Repeated sieges and successive reconstructions make this a rare testimony of military and seigneurial architecture in Champagne.

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