No, it's not a misprint. We actually did visit the Chateau de Chemery, and it isn't in any of your guide books. We were driving from Blois towards Selles-sur-Cher and as we passed through Chemery, we saw a sign: "Le Chateau". What chateau? The guide books were silent. Nothing on the map. Let's take a look!

The Loire Valley has big, magnificent castles, it has little gems, it has stuff in the middle. Chemery is way off the main sequence! It's little, but it really isn't a gem. It's a ... fixer-upper! A house will need a lot of work if it's been neglected for ten years, but how about a place that's been neglected for 300 years? Drive on down to Chemery and take a look.

Architect Axel Fontaine and his wife are trying to revive an old chateau. The former owner was a minor rock star who did no maintenance. The current owners have spruced up the outside to make it presentable, cleaned out and refilled the moat, turned the orangerie into a conference center, set up a weaving business in the attic, fitted out some rooms for bed and breakfast, and in general done everything in their power to revitalize the Chateau de Chemery. It has a long way to go before it becomes a French Ightham Mote, but they're on their way.