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Key figures

Origin and history

The Charles VII Castle Museum opened in 1903 in Mehun-sur-Yèvre, thanks to local collections brought together by Henry Ponroy, Joseph Maquaire and André Pellerin. It initially presents objects of archaeology and decorative art, with a specialization in Gallo-Roman national antiques and ceramics. The site, ranked among the first Historic Monuments in 1840 by Prosper Mérimée, was originally a 11th and 13th century castle, transformed into a resort residence by Jean de Berry in the 14th and 15th centuries.

The castle, a privileged place of residence for King Charles VII (who received Joan of Arc there and died there in 1461), was burned in the 16th century and destroyed during the Revolution, its stones sold in 1792. Saved by the Marquis de Villeneuve in 1815, his dungeon was restored at the end of the 19th century to house the museum. A major reorganization in 1991 modernized the spaces, followed in 1997 by the inauguration of the Pôle de la Porcelaine, dedicated to the collections of the Pillivuyt manufacture, combining contemporary museography and scenography.

The museum now exhibits medieval earthenware, pavement tiles, wooden statues (15th-15th centuries), and historical furniture linked to Mehun-sur-Yèvre. Its 40-metre-high dungeon offers panoramic views of the Yèvre Valley, Bourges Cathedral and Sologne. The site embodies both a defensive heritage, a missing royal residence, and a medieval artistic home, marked by military history and decorative arts.

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