Château de Meung-sur-Loire, Meung-sur-Loire

The Château de Meung-sur-Loire served as the country residence of the Bishops of Orléans for over 600 years, housing 53 bishops and 6 cardinals between the 12th century and the French Revolution. The building presents two contrasting facades: a fortified medieval front with 13th-century towers facing the street, and an elegant 18th-century neoclassical wing overlooking the gardens. Visitors explore more than 20 furnished rooms displaying over 2,000 objects, from the grand reception halls and an ornate 18th-century bathroom to the medieval underground passages where poet François Villon was imprisoned in 1461.