Pays du Giennois Website - Beaulieu/Loire

Overview

Beaulieu sur Loire Vue aérienne village

Village set on a hillside overlooking the Loire and the canal parallel to the Loire.

Walk the streets of Beaulieu sur Loire otherwise discovered through the circuit implemented in the city. 14 signs indicate the major sites that have marked the history of the village.

About 200 wells are scattered all over the 51 hamlets of the village. With the guided tour of the wells, go in search of some particular wells in the village centre. With the guided tour of the wells, go off the beaten track on bycicle.

Saint Etienne Church is representative of the different architectural movements in History : the Romanesque nave, the chancel, the Gothic transept, the Baroque retable as well as the furniture. The Guardhouse placed beside the church is the single trace of the former fortified castle.

The half-timbered house used to be inhabited by churchmen from Bourges called “Les Chanoines”. This house is topped by a square dovecote, representative of the huge estate the lords owned.

The wash house and the watering place are both situated on the Césains river.

Beaulieu Grange pyramidale des Brosses

The pyramid-shaped barns typical of North Berry – present in the hamlets of Le Buisson, Les Brosses – a unique construction to provide maximum volume (winter food store, farming equipment, livestock), basic foundations (rubble stone walls with mud facing or with oak pieces and cob), a roof structure using interlocking beams and rye-straw thatch which was regularly replaced. Remark the barn at Les Brosses with its “burglar-proof” closing system, with neither lock nor bolt.

“Colombier d’Assay” : Next to the castle (private property) of scottich lords built between the 15th and 17th centuries, a remarkable dovecote can be visited on request at the Tourist Office. The fortifications of this castle were originally complete: towers, outerwalls, moat and drawbridge.

Beaulieu sur Loire Canal latéral à la Loire

The Old and the new canal parallel to the Loire. “L’Etang” is the very place where the old canal meets up with the new one. The old canal by the river banks is a perfect place to relax and to discover the landscape and fauna watching. In 1896: a new canal started being built. That avoided crossing the Loire between “Mantelot” (Châtillon sur Loire) and “Les Combles” (Briare) thanks to the canal-bridge between St Firmin and Briare. With your boath, make a stop at the nautic halt to get fresh supplies or visit the village

The spring “Le Sordon”: (private property) this resurgence of the Médards river reappears at l’Etang. The water gushes forth stirring up quicksands. It supplied the Gallo-roman city of Gannes, situated more than one kilometre away from “l’Etang”. The water was brought by an aqueduct. Have a stroll there and discover the spring called « Source du Sordon », the water mill, and the tobacco drying shed.

The “Château de Courcelles le Roi” (private property) from the 15th an 17th centuries, built on the site of a feudal residence. This old residence belonging to Marshal Mac Donald is in keeping with the taste and style of first French Renaissance : steep roves, exterior brick facing. The property is open to visitors only on national Heritage Days in September. An obelisk indicates there is a castle nearby.

In many circuits, thematic games for children are available at the Tourist Office.

Identity card of the municipality

1.835 inhabitants
Mayor : Mr Jacky HECQUET
Enquiries : 10, Place de l’Eglise – 45630 Beaulieu sur Loire
Tel : 02 38 35 80 48
Fax : 02 38 35 86 57
Email : send an email
Web : consult the website