Nestled on the Saint Ombre Hill above the eight hamlets of Chambéry, the Château de Candie offers breathtaking views of the Chartreuse mountain range, the Dent du Chat and the Col du Granier.
Over the centuries there have been many noble owners of the château and although much time has passed, they have all left a long lasting legacy.
The first testimonies of a fortified house belong to the noble Candie family previously named Chaffaron. They were close with the House of Savoie and the two families would hunt together in the Candie woods. The Candie family would also take part in tournaments in Chambéry and it was here that they could best display their family emblems. Their coat of arms is described in heraldic terms as gules with golden fleurs-de-lys and a sky blue band stretched across the front. Their coat of arms is often accompanied by their motto “Backwards” which, in reference to the French poet La Fontaine, serves as a reminder that like crabs, the wise sometimes step backwards.
After being successively sold several times, the Château de Candie is acquired by Jean André Sarde, a merchant from Piemont in northern Italy. The family lived there for over a hundred years. The older buildings that we can still see today were built and rebuilt during this period. Henry François Joseph Sarde, then titled the Baron de Candie, had no heirs so left his estate and his other possessions to the Hospital des Malades, Charité Hospital and the Orphan House of Chambéry.
Caroline de Saint Séverin, wife of the nobleman Tredicini becomes the new owner the château during an auction. The family then lived there for a just over 60 years. Some archives allow us to reconstruct the state of the château at the beginning of the 20th century. The first floor was composed of a living room, dining room, kitchens and a large entrance hall. The second floor had the same layout with numerous living rooms. As for the third floor, there were several bedrooms and servants’ quarters. The Tower, separate from the main building, was first used as a dovecote, transformed into a chapel and was also used as a painting workshop.
Didier Lhostis antique enthusiast and creator of leather goods purchases the château and decides to restore it, a project that lasted nearly four years. The Château de Candie was then opened as a hotel in 1994. We can still admire his unique and elegant decoration to this day.
Some ancient documents speak of hidden places inside the château, but up until now they have never been revealed. Perhaps you will accidentally stumble across one. Who knows what secrets they have been keeping for centuries?
Now we too have fallen under the spell of the Château de Candie. We are the last to have acquired the château and we think we will settle for a few centuries. May the future bring us as much success as its previous owners.
From the time of the Candie family, the property was surrounded by vineyards and for centuries wine was produced in large quantities. However in 1879 these vineyards were completely destroyed. After a first unsuccessful attempt the château decided to relocate the vineyard onto its southern slope in 2003. Since then, a yellow and gold treasure has once again sprung up from the calcareous land.
The grape variety : Viognier
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