The name Chartreux for a blue-grey French cat is documented from the late Middle Ages ("Dictionaire universel de Commerce", 1723). Originally this cat may have been brought back from the Crusades. The coat structure suggests that the ancestors may have come from Syria or the rocky mountains between Turkey and Iran. The name has nothing to do with the fact that monks may have bred this cat. The Carthusian Order has confirmed that the monks never bred cats. It is more likely that this breed was named after a blue-grey wool imported from Spain to weave monks' robes. The Chartreux is said to have been found mainly in the Paris area and was said to have been very popular with butchers and furriers, because of its pronounced muscularity and double coat of long and short hair.

The Léger siblings began breeding of today's modern Chartreux on the island of Belle-Ile in France in 1925. There they found a respectable base of wild grey cats. They based their breed "de Guerveur" on descriptions and pictures of the original Chartreux. Their efforts were rewarded when their cat "Mignonne de Guerveur" was chosen as the most beautiful cat at the Paris Cat Club show in 1933.

Chartreux breeders, like British Shorthair breeders, had major problems after the Second World War with the reduced number of breeding animals and the resulting high inbreeding factor. To refresh the breeding base, many breeders crossed their cats with British Shorthair stud cats. Some also tried to get out of the dilemma with Persian genes. The two breeds, Chartreux and British Shorthair, became more and more similar. The FIFe finally merged the two breeds in 1970, as there was little difference between them.

In order to save the Chartreux breed and to continue breeding it in its present form, the two French breeders Simonnet (Vaumichon cattery) and Jaquemin (Lilas Bleus cattery) founded the "Club de Chat des Chartreux" in Paris. Together with their fellow breeders, who prevented to mix their cats with other breeds, they fought for a revision of the FIFe decision. It is mainly due to Mr Simonnet's dedication and his indomitable will to fight that the Chartreux breed has been independent again since 1977.

The breed Chartreux was reborn.