Château de Villemenant

Built in 1360, in the midst of the 100 Years' War, to protect the population, Château de Villemenant was one of the last fortresses of the Middle Ages, originally consisting of 4 crowned towers, a moat and a drawbridge framed by watchtowers, and one of the first to be equipped with gunboats.

Its medieval architecture was toned down during the Renaissance. The main building that can still be seen today bears witness to this period. Its history is closely linked to the expansion of the forges and the town of Guérigny.

The French Revolution deprived it of its defensive character, its moat, two of its towers and its defensive walls.

Listed as a Historic Monument since 1930, Château de Villemenant is privately owned.

The guided tour lasts approximately one hour and 15 minutes. It covers the exteriors, the large rooms on the ground floor of the château, the upturned ship's hull framework, the Joan of Arc tower and its watchtower. A film giving an overall view of the château is shown in one of the rooms under the roof structure.

For reasons of safety and access (there is only one staircase for the castle, the upper part of which is limited to one person at a time), the maximum number of people together is set at 10 (plus the guide).