Meung-sur-Loire Castle Medieval Facade
We are going to the commune – the French territorial division – of Meung-sur-Loire , in the district of Orleans. You are more likely to know the name of Meung because it was here that Alexandre whatsapp number data Dumas set the beginning of The Three Musketeers : it is where we first meet d'Artagnan. But don't think that only fictional characters have passed through its streets… and its castle – a castle that d'Artagnan never set foot in.
Get ready to visit a castle-museum full of historical and curious objects, one of the oldest in the Loire Valley .
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How many castles to visit in the area? Take a look at our article Must-see castles in the Loire Valley and our driving route through the Loire castles to plan your trip. And, if time allows, how about a driving route through Normandy and the Loire Valley ?
A little history of the castle of Meung-sur-Loire
We have already said that the Château de Meung-sur-Loire is one of the oldest in the Loire Valley. Its two towers from the 13th century bear witness to this. But there was already a wooden convent here in the 6th century, which was rebuilt in stone in the 11th century. From the following century, the 12th, the bishop began to live in a tower next to the church. And in the following century, the 13th, he abandoned his rooms in the tower. From then on, the Château de Meung-sur-Loire became his residence and that of his successors. Why did a bishop build a castle? Because he had “differences” with the king and wanted to make it clear that he also had power.
Castle Meung-sur-Loire Church Towers
The castle fell into English hands during the Hundred Years' War and it was Joan of Arc herself who liberated it after her victory at the Battle of Orleans in 1429. Kings of France , such as Louis XI and Francis I, also passed through its halls. Another illustrious guest was the poet François Villon , although in this case from its dungeons, where he was imprisoned.
Castle Meung-sur-Loire Room
The final boost to its splendour was given by Louis-Gaston Fleuriau d'Armenonville – a bishop, of course – who invested his entire fortune in transforming it into a palace. He built a new façade and a south wing. His successor, Louis-Sextius Jarente de La Bruyère , provided it with gardens in the style of Versailles . Who would have thought that a few years later the French people would rise up in revolt? Yes, the work was carried out from the beginning of the 18th century until shortly before the French Revolution.
