Château d'Artigny - History of the Château

The second link in the chain of the Grandes Etapes Françaises

In 1959, René Traversac, the founder of the Grandes Etapes Françaises, owned just one establishment: the Prieuré close to Saumur. However, he had developed a liking for the hotel business and was looking for another establishment to acquire.
The Château d'Artigny, overlooking the valley of the Indre, had just been put on the market by Christiane Coty, the daughter of the famous perfumer who had built and owned the property.
He was able to visit the majestic house and appreciate its beauty, but the size and magnificence of the château, not to mention the transformation work need to turn it into a hotel and decorate it somewhat dampened his enthusiasm. He gave himself a few weeks to think about it, at the end of which he finally took the risk of buying it.

A marvellous adventure then began, which was to lead him a few years later to become the head of the burgeoning chain of the " Châteaux-Hotels de France" :

		"A dapting a few of our old castles to suit modern tastes in comfort while respecting their historical character is the mission that the Association of Châteaux-Hotels de France has set itself". In 1975, René Traversac played an active part in merging this chain with the "Relais de Campagne" chain and the "Relais et Châteaux" was born. The Château d'Artigny, converted into a luxury hotel (thanks to the talent of the decorator, Pierre Scapula, and others), opened its doors on 27 March 1961.
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