Châteaudun: Castle, Old Town and Caves

Begin your morning at the Château de Châteaudun, perched 60 metres above the Loir river — a fortress spanning a 12th-century Romanesque keep, a Gothic wing built by Joan of Arc's companion Jean de Dunois, and a Renaissance gallery housing one of France's largest collections of ancient tapestries. From the castle terrace, descend into the medieval streets where the Church of the Magdalene hides a Romanesque portal preserved for centuries behind the town's ramparts, and Saint-Valérien Church displays three eras of architecture beneath its 50-metre bell tower. Wander through the old town's half-timbered houses along Rue Saint-Lubin, then contrast them with the classical 18th-century grid rebuilt after the great fire of 1723. After lunch, visit the Museum of Fine Arts and Natural History for its Egyptian antiquities and a collection of 2,500 taxidermied birds, before ending underground in the Grottes du Foulon — limestone caves with blue chalcedony crystals and traces of human habitation dating back 300,000 years. The museum, Grottes du Foulon, and the château are all closed on Tuesdays; the caves open only in the afternoon and require a guided tour.