Catherine Briçonnet
The story of Chenonceau begins in the medieval era, when the Marques family erected a castle on the banks of the river Cher. Their fortress was razed in the early 1500s as a new owner, Thomas Bohier, a prominent treasurer to King Francis I, decided to rebuild on its foundation. Thomas’s wife, Catherine Briçonnet, was very involved in the design of this new structure and is known as the first of the Ladies of Chenonceau.
