Jean Chastel was born onMarch 31, 1708in the village of Darnes, parish of La Besseyre-Saint-Mary in France. Son of a farmer, he marries Anne Charbonnier on February 22, 1735. They will have nine children.
Jean Chastel will become an innkeeper in his village; he was not only considered to be a professional hunter but also a poacher. Somewhat unconventional, he went to jail for a brief period of time at the prison of Saugues.
OnJune 19, 1767while hunting with the marquis of Apchier, Chastel killed an animal of large size resembling a wolf in the locality of "La Sogne d'Auvers", near the forest of La Ténazeyre, parish of Nozeyrolles (Auvers). Since that day the ravages from the terrible beast of Gévaudan came to an end.
Jean Chastel did not receive any rewards for killing the animal.
He brought the beast to Versailles; so bothered by the smell, the King immediately ordered the burial of the nimal without rewarding the hunter. Recent historical research suggests that Jean Chastel never "went up" to Paris, but that it was another person, a man named Gibert, valet of the Marquis d'Apcher, who made the trip.
