Gien Old Town, Gien

Gien's historic center stretches along the Loire River beneath the 15th-century Château de Gien, presenting a striking architectural ensemble rebuilt after near-total destruction by German bombing in June 1940. The reconstruction, completed in 1962 under urban planner André Laborie, earned the town the title "Jewel of French Reconstruction" — the new brick buildings deliberately echo the château's polychrome diamond patterns, creating visual unity between the 1950s lower town and the medieval castle above. Key sights include the Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc Church with its red-and-black brick exterior and stained glass by Max Ingrand, the 16th-century Maison des Alix (one of the few pre-war survivors), and the 18th-century Loire bridge with its 12 unequal arches.