Château de Gien

Come and discover the Château de Gien, overlooking the River Loire at the heart of the Giennois region. It is one of the oldest Châteaux de la Loire and has been the home of several great historical figures. The château has undergone numerous transformations in its long history; it started out as a fortress built by Charlemagne in the 8th century. This was destroyed and replaced by the 12th century castle which over time became a favourite residence of François 1er, Henri II and Louis XVI. In the 15th century Gien was popular with Anne de Beaujeu, Comtesse de Gien and Regent of France, and it was under her inspiration that the castle was given its rare, Pre-Renaissance appearance featuring geometrical shapes made from coloured bricks. Gien has also been a courthouse, prison and a highly-sought after hunting venue, so it is only natural that it should house the Musée International de la Chasse (National Museum of Hunting).

Inside the Château de Gien

The interior of the château has been restyled with a completely new museum layout ! There are surprising, fun, educational, interactive displays to highlight previously unknown treasures like eggs and other decorative objects inspired by hunting and a fine collection of restored falconry hoods.

So there is plenty of fun on the programme with this entertaining approach to learning, surrounded by hunting scenes of the Loiret region ! Different types of hunting are presented on two floors. Falconry is on the ground-floor and the first-floor deals with hunting with hounds and shooting. In each section, stuffed animals and ethnographic objects are displayed among art works to explain the particularities of each activity.