In the heart of the lower Loire Valley, Bourges (boorjh; pop. 75,000) attracts countless visitors with its flamboyant Gothic architecture, half-timbered houses, and medieval streets. Bourges’s extravagant wealth originated in 1433, when Jacques Coeur, financier of Charles VII, chose the city as the site for his palatial home. The city has since become famous for its established music festival, Le Printemps de Bourges, hosted every April. Bourges makes a convenient base for daytrips to the secluded châteaux tucked into the thick forests and rolling vineyards of the surrounding region.
While hotels in the centre-ville are relatively pricey, cheaper options can be found a 10-15min. walk away. Summer visitors should reserve ahead.
The dining in Bourges is a main attraction, especially during Le Printemps de Bourges, when restaurants are filled with the atmosphere enhancer of free live music. Both locals and tourists flock to the outdoor tables of restaurants on place Gordaine and rue des Beaux-Arts during the spring and summer. The elegant restaurants on rue Bourbonnoux or rue Girard serve tasty regional cuisine in timber-framed dining rooms. Look for specialties like poulet en barbouille (chicken roasted in aromatic red wine), crottin de chavignol (the area’s most famous goat cheese), and oeufs en meurette (eggs in red wine). The largest market is held on place de la Nation (Sa morning); another livens up place des Marronniers (Th until 1pm). There is a smaller, permanent covered market at place Saint-Bonnet, though it moves outdoors on Sunday mornings. (Open Tu-Th 8am-12:45pm and 3:30-7:30pm, F-Sa 8am-1pm and 3-7:30pm, Su 8am-1pm.) The Leclerc supermarket, rue Prado off bd. Juranville, next to the bus station, boasts an enormous selection. (Open M-Sa 8:30am-7:20pm. MC/V.)
Bourges’s past has endowed its cobblestone vieille ville with numerous museums, an enchanting palace, and a gargantuan cathedral, all of which are clustered close enough to tour in a single afternoon. The city’s many parks, including the rose-filled Jardin de l’Archevêché and the peaceful Jardin des Prés-Fichaux, provide plenty of places for a lovely stroll or a picnic.
Cathédrale Saint-Étienne. This enormous 13th-century cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, with gargoyles and flying buttresses reminiscent of Paris’s Notre Dame . A soaring vaulted ceiling creates a cavernous interior illuminated by light from windows high above the nave. Impressive brass chandeliers hang along the entire length of the interior. In the back right corner stands the Astronomical Clock, a 15th-century invention by Jean Fusoris. Aside from its stunning craftsmanship, the clock was designed to show time, phases of the moon, and positions of the zodiac. The small brass Meridian line on the floor is struck at exactly noon every day. The cathedral’s Great Tower, a copy of one of the Louvre’s towers, symbolizes royal power. Entrance to the church is free, but tickets are required to visit the cathedral’s crypt or northern tower. (Cathedral open daily Apr.-Sept. 8:30am-7:15pm; Oct.-Mar. 9am-5:45pm. Tours led by parishioners available June-Sept. 10:30am-12:30pm and 4-6pm. Mass Tu-Sa 6:30pm, Su 11am. Tours of crypt and tower July-Aug. M-Sa 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-6pm, Su 2-6pm; Sept. and Apr. M-Sa 9:45-11:45am and 2-5:30pm, Su 2-5:30pm; Oct.-Mar. M-Sa 9:30-11:30am and 2-4:45pm, Su 2-4:45pm; May-June M-Sa 9:30-11:30am and 2-6pm, Su 2-6pm. €6.50, ages 18-25 €4.50, under 18 free; tower alone €5/3.50/free.)
Palais Jacques-Coeur. Commissioned in 1443 by Jacques Coeur, finance minister to Charles VII, this palace was intended to flaunt Coeur’s personal fortune to high-society guests. Coeur was imprisoned for embezzlement in 1451, years before the palace’s completion, and the building passed through many hands until it was finally purchased by the state and restored in 1923. Today, the palace lies unfurnished but remains an example of the flamboyant architectural style of the late Middle Ages. The exterior is dotted with gargoyles, and the interior is decorated with carved mantelpieces and vaulted ceilings. Take note of the ceilings in the attic and second gallery, which are especially unusual and beautiful. (10 bis rue Jacques-Coeur. ☎02 48 24 79 42. Open daily July-Aug. 9:30am-noon and 2-7pm; Sept.-Oct. and May-June 9:30am-noon and 2-6pm; Nov.-Mar. 9:30am-noon and 2-5pm. Mandatory guided tour in French. Short English text available. Tours every 45min. Free.)
Other Sights. The Musée des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France pays homage to superior local craftsmanship. Each year, the French government bestows a medal of honor, the Meilleur Ouvrier, on artists or professionals who produce exceptional work in fields ranging from hairstyling to leatherwork; the museum chronicles the award’s history and highlights recent winners who specialize in the year’s featured craft. Roof ornamentation is the trade for 2009. (Pl. Étienne Dolet. ☎02 48 57 82 45. Open Tu-Sa 10am-noon and 2-6pm, Su 2-6pm.) The Musée Estève displays modern paintings, tapestries, and drawings by the local artist. Brochures are available in English and French. (13 rue Édouard Branly. ☎02 48 24 75 38. Open M and W-Sa 10am-noon and 2-6pm, Su 2-6pm.) The Musée du Berry showcases prehistoric, Gallo-Roman, and medieval artifacts excavated from the region along with displays of ceramic work and 19th-century farming implements. (4 rue des Arènes. ☎02 48 70 41 92. Open July-Aug. M and W-Sa 10am-12:30pm and 1:30-6pm, Su 2-6pm; from Sept. to early Jan. and Apr.-June M and W-Sa 10am-noon and 2-6pm; from early Jan. to Mar. M and W-Sa 10am-noon and 2-5pm.)
Nightlife in Bourges is fairly subdued. There is late-night dancing at Le Daumier, but most locals hang out in the plentiful bars and pubs in the vieille ville.
Jacques may have left his coeur in Bourges, but his ego spilled far into the surrounding countryside. The Route Jacques Coeur consists of 13 châteaux, along with a 12th-century abbey, stretching from La Buissière in the north to Culan in the south. Less ostentatious than those of the Loire, these castles see far fewer tourists each year. Many of the families who made them famous still live in the châteaux. Most of the châteaux in this section can be seen only by guided tour. English brochures are often available, but English tours are uncommon.
The châteaux make for fun daytrips, but most can be reached only by car or bike; routes are well marked. If you plan to stay overnight, book lodging in advance. The tourist offices in Bourges and St-Amand-Montrond (below) have free English maps of the route and info on excursions.
To get to St-Amand from Bourges, take the train (50min.; M-Sa 8 per day, Su 3 per day; €9) or drive south on N144 or A71. From there, a short bike or car ride takes you to nearby sights.
Forty-five kilometers south of Bourges lies St-Amand-Montrond (sehn ah-mahn mohn-trohn), a starting point for explorations of the southern part of the route. Though the châteaux and stretches of forest are the real draw, St-Amand itself makes for an interesting half-day visit. The tourist office arranges a walking tour in French that takes visitors past the city’s churches, Paroisse de Saint-Amand and the Église des Carmes. The ruins of the medieval Forteresse de Montrond can be seen from afar—or up close if you reserve ahead. (☎02 48 96 79 64. From mid-June to mid-Sept. 3 tours per day or call to schedule a visit.)
The tourist office, pl. de la République, provides free maps highlighting sights both within the city and in its surroundings. From the train station, follow av. de la Gare straight through the roundabout; continue on as it becomes av. Jean Jaurès and, later, rue Henri Barbusse. After 20min., the road runs into pl. de la République; the tourist office is on the left. (☎02 48 96 16 86. Open July-Aug. M-Sa 9am-noon and 2-7pm, Su 10am-12:30pm; Sept. and June M-Sa 9am-noon and 2-7pm; Oct.-May M-Sa 9am-noon and 2-5pm.) For a taxi, call ☎06 09 94 69 34. Bike rental is available at Cycles HANTZ, a branch of Vélo & Oxygen, 72 av. du Général de Gaulle. Head toward the tourist office from the station and, when av. Jean Jaurès becomes rue Henri Barbusse, turn left onto rue 14 Juillet. At the T intersection with N144, turn left (dir.: Bourges) and walk for 5min. The shop is on the right. (☎02 48 96 00 80. Open M 2-7pm, Tu-Sa 9am-noon and 2-7pm. Bikes €5 per hr., €10 per 4hr., €13 per 8hr.; €120 or ID deposit. MC/V.)
If you plan on seeing the Abbaye de Noirlac and the château by bike, go to the abbey first; otherwise you’ll bike 7km uphill. To get to the town of Meillant from St-Amand, take rue Nationale, starting near the tourist office, and head north to D10. ☎02 48 63 32 05. Open daily July-Aug. 9:30am-6pm; from Sept. to mid-Nov. and Mar.-June 9:30am-noon and 2-6pm. Visit only by guided tour in French; English translation available. Château and gardens €7, students €5.50, ages 5-15 €5. Call for group rates. MC/V.
A beautiful but difficult 8km bike ride from St-Amand through the Forêt de Meillant leads to the impressive Renaissance Château de Meillant (shah-toh duh may-yahn). In the 15th century, it was purchased by the Amboise family, who imported Italian architects, sculptors, and decorators to adorn the castle with extravagant Renaissance accents. Its ornate stone carvings are especially visible on the Tour du Lion, a turret partially designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Excellent guided tours of the château in French highlight features of its architecture and interior decoration, describe the living habits of past inhabitants, and explain the incredible range of art and weapons in the castle. The babbling brook and winding paths around the château provide many spots for visitors to admire its exterior. A small building near the castle contains miniature models of castle life from the Middle Ages to the 18th century.
To reach the abbey from St-Amand, take rue Henri Barbusse to rue 14 Juillet. After crossing the river, turn left onto N144 (dir.: Bourges); the well-marked turnoff for the abbey is on the left. Be careful crossing the wide road if you are biking. ☎02 48 62 01 01; www.abbayedenoirlac.fr. Open daily July-Aug. 9:45am-6:30pm; Sept. and Apr.-June 9:45am-12:30pm and 2-6:30pm; Oct.-Mar. 9:45am-12:30pm and 2-5pm. Ticket office closes 1hr. before abbey. Call ahead for schedule of French tours or to arrange an English guided tour; English explanations also available. Call for dinner reservations at least 15 days ahead. Groups of 20 or more only; €50 per person. Admission €7, students €4.50. MC/V.
Just 3km west of St-Amand-Montrond lies the isolated Abbaye de Noirlac (ah-bay duh nwahr-lahk), a peaceful haven for city-weary travelers. The former Cistercian abbey now has vacant stone rooms with simple stained glass. The cloister at the center is framed by Gothic arcades. Most of the monks’ chapter house dates from its 12th-century construction; the rest was renovated in the 18th century. The abbey also exhibits regional arts. During June and July, the popular L’Été de Noirlac energizes the abbey with excellent live music. (☎02 48 48 00 27; www.festivaldenoirlac.com. Tickets €12-22.) For larger groups, the abbey will host a special dinner of traditional fare.
To get to Menetou-Salon, take D940 (av. du Général de Gaulle in Bourges) north for 5km, continue straight through the roundabout, and bear right onto D11, following the signs. Menetou-Salon ☎02 48 64 80 54. Open daily July-Aug. 10am-7pm; May-June and Sept. 2-6pm. Visit by tour only; call ahead for tour times. Tours in French with English brochure available; ends with free wine tasting. 1 hr. €8.50, students €6, under 7 free. AmEx/MC/V. To get to Maupas from Menetou-Salon, follow the signs to Parassy and Morogues as the road passes through 7km of scenic, vineyard-covered countryside. The château is on the left, about 1km before Morogues. From Bourges, take rue de la Charité east as it becomes N151. Take a left on D955 and another left on D46. Enter through the white gates on the curbside. Maupas ☎02 48 64 41 71. English brochures available. Open Palm Sunday-June M-Sa 2-7pm, Su 10am-noon and 2-7pm; July-Sept. daily 10am-noon and 2-7pm; from early to mid-Oct. daily 2-6pm; from mid-Oct. to mid-Dec. Su 2-6pm. Tours available by reservation from mid-Dec. to May. Call ahead for English tours. €8, students €6.50, ages 7-12 €4.50. Wine tasting for groups €8. Cash only.
Closer to Bourges, Maupas and Menetou-Salon combine to make an ideal but tough daytrip if traveling by bike; get an early start to ensure enough time. Situated 20km north of Bourges, Menetou-Salon (mehn-too-sah-lohn) is the closer of the two châteaux. From Bourges, the cityscape is quickly replaced by hills and vineyards, which are often difficult for bikers. Many of these vignobles (vineyards) offer tours and sell their wine on site. Jacques Coeur bought the Menetou-Salon castle in 1448, but his subsequent imprisonment—as well as the later revolution—left the castle in ruins. In the 19th century, the prince of Arenberg stepped in to finish it. Though the current prince lives in the US, he visits his château often to hunt. The staff is always prepared for his arrival; they fill the rooms with fresh flowers daily. Tour guides dressed in Romantic-era costumes lead visitors through the interior, pointing out antiques and showing off the prince’s vintage car collection.
The small but exquisitely preserved 13th-century castle of Maupas (moh-pah) is decorated with antique tapestries, and faïences (ornamental crockery) collected by Jerome Agard de Maupas, whose family has lived there since 1688. The tour showcases a collection of 887 painted plates from around the world, a Louis XIV-style canopy bed, 19th-century dollhouses, and the flag of the comte de Chambord —the last royalist Bourbon pretender to the throne, who insisted upon replacing the tricoleur with the monarchy’s white fleur-de-lis.
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