It is said that the first Chartreux appeared in the sixteenth century at the Grenoble monastery (where the famous Chartreuse liqueur was made).  The  monks selectively bred the Chartreux to control the mice & rat numbers.  The Chartreux was also acknowledge in history during the mid seventeenth century by  George Louis Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle.   And, by the 1930's these felines were exhibited in Paris by the Leger sisters.  By 1970, ten Chartreux were shipped to the United States, three of which came for the original Leger's stock.  The Chartreux soon gained championship status in most of the north American feline associations.

The ideal Chartreux is a large, massive, robust cat with a broad chest. Its build is similar to a British Shorthair except for the lack of the round head. The Chartreux possesses a broad head with a wide forehead, extremely full cheeks, and narrow, but not pointed, muzzle. The nose is short and straight with only a slight break below the eyes. 

The eyes are set moderately wide apart, coming in gold to copper, but a clear brilliant orange is most preferred.  The ears are small, set high on the head, with slightly rounded tips.

The dense, plush, medium-length coat should be as soft as rabbit fur.  It comes in only one colour - a silvery blue; ranging from ash to slate, tipped  with silver giving it an iridescent shine.

The Chartreux is a soft spoken, gentle, undemanding cat, playful, intelligent and adaptable by nature, making it a great house or apartment companion pet.