Wandering around Yevre Le Chatel, Centre-Loire Valley, France. 'Les Plus Beaux Village de France'

We visited Yevre-le-Chatel (Centre-Loire Valley, France) in September 2023, listed as one of 'Les Plus Beaux Village de France' the village is charming and beautiful and a must see village in the Loiret. It is a village situated on a slightly raised area overlooking the Rimarde valley and about 40 kilometres north-east of Orleans, in the Loiret department of central France. It is listed among the most beautiful villages in France and is the only village with this award in the Loiret department. Yevre-le-Chatel is part of the commune of Yevre-la-Ville.
It is true that the area between Paris and Orleans is not the most visited part of France but many visitors cross the region and Yevre-le-Chatel is a good place to stop for a pause even if you are not passing much time in Loiret!
Improvements in recent years (such as removing a water tower in the village center and burying electrical cables), along with various restorations and improvements, mean that Yevre-le-Chatel is now one of the most attractive villages in the region. The village streets contain a good number of traditional stone houses making it very pleasant to explore, made more interesting by the small river and bridge and, during the spring and summer, by the impressive number of plants and flowers to be enjoyed throughout the village. Indeed the wonderful planting of the village is one of its key attractions.
There are also several important historic monuments to be seen in Yevre-le-Chatel, including a substantial castle, parts of the original village ramparts and the imposing remains of a church.
Its location between Paris (90km) and Orleans (45km) made it a popular defensive site from as early as the 10th century. The remains of the castle you see today are those of the fortress built in the 13th century under Philip Augustus. Its design like many others of the time was heavily influenced by knowledge gained by the developments in military defensive architecture witnessed during the 'Crusades'. Indeed it proved its worth during the 'Hundred Years War ' being the only defensive stronghold north of the river Loire not to be captured by the English or the Burgundians. By the 15th century however, like many such stongholds, it became redundant with the advent of canon-power and although the castle was occupied by the Huguenots In 1562, during the Wars of Religion, the collapse of its interior vaults made it uninhabitable. It was then left to crumble during the following century. The village is dominated by the substantial ruins of its medieval castle, which retains a substantial part of its external defensive walls, the four round corner towers, and additional towers either side of the entrance, and contains an upper and a lower courtyard. The castle is open to the public April to October (afternoons only) and has good views from the walk around the walls, and there is also a medieval garden with a wide range of traditional plants and herbs.
The Church of Saint Lubin dates from the 13th century, but following slow building progress and damage during the Wars of Religion that affected France in the Middle Ages the church was never completed - although most of the external walls remain to create an evocative ruin. There is a debate as to whether it is this way due to religious or military war or as some say, it was just never completed - surely a rare thing among buildings of worship!
There is a second church in the center of Yevre-le-Chatel, also dating from the middle Ages and still in use, called the Church of Saint-Gault. Despite appearances this church actually has more ancient origins than the Church of Saint-Lubin.
The charm of the village of Yèvre-le-Chatel ( listed as one of 'Les Plus Beaux Village de France') lies in its simplicity and authenticity - which is indeed the hallmark of these listings.
Thanks to an exceptional historical and architectural heritage and the charm that everyone recognizes it, Yèvre-le-Châtel is classified among "The most beautiful villages of France". With its ramparts, its fortified castle, its postern and the churches of Saint-Gault and Saint-Lubin, Yèvre-le-Châtel is one of the most remarkable sites in the region. This small village with its beautiful houses built with local limestone and small shady streets that are always full of flowers is a privileged place for a walk.

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