Throughout his life, American artist Alexander Calder felt a strong attachment to France, where he spent half his days.  During his years in Paris (1926- 1933), he met Miró and Mondrian and frequented the Surrealist circles.  But it was was at Saché, south of Tours, a villiage he discovered through his friend Jean Davidson where he chose to make his studio.  He first set up shop in the so-called "François 1er" house on the banks of the river Indre.  Then in 1962 he decided to build the large studio in a place called the Carroi with sweeping views over the Indre valley.

In the United States, as in France, Alexander Calder's homes were always set in the midst of nature.  Calder was convinced that the goemetric forms of his works had direct links with nature.  For the construction of his studio, he was keen to use raw materials, with a focus on simple, functional spaces.
It was in this vast studio, nestled in the very heart of the Touraine region, that Calder gave the full measure of his talent.  His Stabiles - static sculptures of riveted metal sheets that count among the most astonishing works of the latter half of the 20th century - were produced at Saché, with the assistance of the Biemont company in Tours.

In 1969, Calder embarked on the construction of his house close to the studio.  The artist wanted a house designed for day-to-day living, a house built "to his scale", the better to experience and enjoy the Indre valley.  He shaped its volumes himself.  By this time, Calder was living in Saché, forging relationships with villagers and taking part in the region's social and economic life.
Beyond the emblematic virtues of the site itself, Alexander Calder has left an enduring imprint on the region:  that of contemporary creation, both generous and open that the Association pour l'Animation de l'Atelier Calder wishes to preserve and continue by virtue of its role of hospitality and encouragement of artists in residence.