It's 8 p.m., and I'm standing before the majestic Château de Pesselières in Jalognes, just 30 km from Bourges. Tonight, I'm here to probe a crime unfolding during a guided tour—details are scarce, so anticipation runs high. About 40 eager participants gather outside the gates, the air thick with excitement. Suddenly, a classic 2CV roars up and screeches to a halt. Two women in vintage attire—pleated skirts, silk scarves, pearl necklaces—emerge mid-argument, straight out of a Louis de Funès film. The 'Crime at the Castle' game has begun.
They join us, and at 8:30 p.m., the guide launches the park tour. It's swiftly interrupted by the irate gardener, pruning shears brandished, unhappy about our late arrival and overtime. For a tense moment, I wonder if we'll be turned away back to Bourges. The guide negotiates entry, celebrating with a swig of Sancerre from her bag. She barely mentions the site's history—a 13th-century stronghold evolved over centuries—before the displeased owner arrives, annoyed by our Saturday night intrusion. The 2CV driver, Françoise-Athénaïs Marie de Breuil, a cash-strapped noblewoman, proposes marriage. 'No thanks!' he retorts. 'I'm not trading 25 years of hell for 1,000 years of history!' Quips fly, heightened by a dusty genealogist and a slick wind turbine salesman.
The drama unfolds across enchanting settings, from the romantic hornbeam labyrinth to the walled garden. Then, the twist: Crossing the bridge to the chateau entrance, we find the squire sprawled lifeless, head bloodied, candlestick nearby. Live Cluedo! Even the cat seems distraught. The gardener and salesman panic, shoving us inside as the door slams shut. The group stays composed—the killer is among us. Who slipped away?
Suspense builds. Four suspects emerge: the gardener, genealogist, wind turbine salesman, and marriage-hungry aristocrat. In groups of 10, we get five minutes each to interrogate them. Initially daunting, our inner detectives awaken. Each has a airtight motive, making consensus tough. In a candlelit adjoining room, the investigation concludes with another twist—no spoilers! Fiction blurs with reality over Sancerre and appetizers. We learn the gardener plays himself, while the lord steps out of character tonight. I leave reluctantly, craving the next mystery.
Several castles and parks along the Jacques-Coeur route in Sancerrois host 'Crime at the Castle' evenings. For details: bourges-tourisme.com and route-jacques-coeur.org.
Stay in Bourges at Hôtel de Panette's guest rooms, doubles from €140 including breakfast: panette.fr.
Dine at La Suite, 50 rue Bourbonnoux—RétiF brothers' lunch menu €19.50. Or grab seafood snacks at Bourges-sur-Mer deli, 73 rue Bourbonnoux.
