The chateau of Meung sur Loire does not have the instant outside appeal of many of its more famous neighbours but if your journey permits, a detour to take in what it and the surrounding town has to offer will be worth it. The chateau was built as a residence for the Bishops of Orleans in the middle ages. It has been 'knocked about' a bit during its lifetime, what with the odd war here and there, with a lot of the interior being remodelled during the 19th century. It actually consists of two buildings its stern towered fortification and its pink stucco classical bishop's palace of the 18th century. The main restoration work was started back in 1971.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can take a guided tour of the interior with  the highlight being a visit to its underground vaulted chapel and dungeon where prisoners were left to rot while life went on as normal above them!

 

 

After liberating Orléans, Joan of Arc proceeded to free Meung-sur-Loire  from the English - an important victory as it sealed off a strategic crossing of the Loire river.

 

 

 

The town itself retains its medieval feel even though much of it was destroyed by fire in the past. It has an impressive fortified church and  lovely wooden vaulted market hall. A walk through its streets and alleyways reveals its heritage in the form of charming houses and small streams (mauves) apparently diverted from local marshes by monks in the distant past to make use of the water for driving mills. The construction of the water mills gave the town of Meung  importance because of its tannery, flour, vineyard, and cooperage which evolved out of these projects.

 

 

The town also has another tenuous claim to fame in that Georges Simenon's fictional character Maigret took his holidays here!!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Simenon