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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Meung-sur-Loire is a former fortified residence built from the twelfth century, initially as a square tower adjacent to the collegiate Saint-Liphard. He served as a residence for the bishops of Orleans before being turned into a prison in the 13th century, where François Villon was imprisoned in 1461. The site was also an English fortress during the Hundred Years' War, taken over by Joan of Arc and the Duke of Alençon in 1429 during the Battle of Meung-sur-Loire.

In the 15th to 16th centuries, a north building body with a drawbridge tower was added, but the castle fell into ruins after the Wars of Religion. In the 18th century, the bishops Fleuriau d'Armenonville and Jarente de La Bruyère transformed it into a residence of pleasure: classical facade, neo-classical chapel (1784) with statues of Delaistre, and English park with an artificial river, a music pavilion, and an orangery.

Sold as a national property during the Revolution, the property passed into private hands (Le Couteulx du Molay family) until 1859. The park was classified in 1942, followed by the ruins of the old castle (Manasses Tower) in 1988, and then the entire estate in 2004. Today, the castle, integrated into the UNESCO World Heritage Site via the Loire Valley, combines medieval remains with classical elegance.

His history began with a conflict in 1103 between the bishop of Orleans and Leon of Meung, resolved by the intervention of King Philip I and his son, the future Louis VI. The Manasses Tower of Garlande, built around 1162, symbolizes the episcopal revival. In the 13th century, a new palace was erected 50 metres from the old one, which became a prison. The remains of this era include the vaulted guard and underground room.

The architecture reflects these strata: medieval towers redesigned in classical style, symmetrical facades of the eighteenth century, and outbuildings (glacière, billiard pavilion). The castle thus illustrates the evolution of the seigneurial functions, from the fortress to the marina, while keeping traces of its prison and military past.

Located 500 m from the Loire, in the city centre, the estate is accessible from the SNCF station and served by Ulys bus lines. Its ranking among historical monuments and its integration into the Loire Valley UNESCO underline its heritage importance, between national history (Jeanne d'Arc, Villon) and regional architectural heritage.

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