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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Chinon's palm game is an old room built in the late 16th century, around 1587-1590, as evidenced by the dendrochronological analyses of its frame. Originally dedicated to the game of short palm, a sport then very popular, it was rented to a nearby innkeeper as soon as it was built. However, the enthusiasm for this game declined rapidly in France, and the room changed of use as early as the mid-17th century, successively becoming a saltpetry, a military ride, and then a warehouse.

Over the centuries, the building underwent many changes: it served as a carriage garage after the Revolution, a drug store after the Second World War, and then a premises for a poultry dealer in the 1980s. Threatened by demolition in the 20th century due to urban projects, it was finally listed as a historic monument in 2015. This protection came after decades of structural adaptations that had altered part of its original characteristics, such as its tuffle walls partially replaced by rubble.

Purchased in 2017 by a short palm-loving Britishman, Chinon's palm game has been the subject of a restoration campaign since 2021. An archaeological diagnosis allowed to find original elements, such as the foundations of a gallery for spectators and traces of black paint on the walls, typical of the palm playrooms to facilitate the follow-up of the ball. This monument, one of the oldest still standing in France, illustrates the evolution of sports and urban practices since the Renaissance.

The hall, about 30 metres long and 10.50 wide, is distinguished by its eight-span frame and slate roof. Although its interior features have disappeared, recent studies have revealed significant remains, such as a terracotta tiled playground. Its eastern gable, protected by a roof thrust, overlooks the eponymous street, formerly called Rue du Manège with reference to its military use in the 18th century.

Chinon once had up to five palm playrooms, but she was the only one who survived. Today, she shares with the rooms of Bordeaux, Fontainebleau and Paris the status of architectural witness to this sporting heritage. His registration as a historical monument in 2015 and the work in progress aim to restore his original function, while preserving the traces of his many past lives.

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