News of l'Echappee Belle and its area

The castles of the Route Jacques Coeur will be hosting "Mystery in the Castle" evenings.

Thanks to actors, you can become a detective and take part in this giant Cluedo.
Humour and suspense will be the order of the day.

Different dates are scheduled each year from February to November.

Dates and reservations here.

Come in the autumn to hear the bellowing of the stags in the forests of Orléans or Sologne.
Specialists organise excursions and can accompany you to watch and listen to the bellows as closely as possible.
It is also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the forest at dusk and sometimes these excursions are accompanied by a traditional meal.

In 2023, as every two years, the largest gathering of river sailors will return to Orléans. From 20 to 24 September.

This year, the focus will be on the sailors of the Pays Basque and, to get away from the European continent, the navigation of the Saint Laurent River in Canada.

More than 200 boats, 700 sailors, hundreds of artists and exhibitors will help you relive the great era of river navigation.

And of course there will be plenty of entertainment: shanties, guinguettes, concerts, food and drink stands, street shows, sound and light shows, fireworks...

Come and celebrate this French woman of letters by going to Saint Sauveur en Puisaye, the place of her childhood.

You will find her birthplace and the Colette Museum (open from April to November).

It is in the latter that you will be able to enjoy the exhibition "Passion Colette" from 17 June to 12 November.

During the last week of October, come and discover the pottery tradition at La Borne in Henrichemont. The rituals of working with clay and firing will no longer hold any secrets for you. Traditional, contemporary and utility ceramics will be on display around the 18 wood-fired kilns that will be in operation during these days.


Visit the museums and workshops, attend demonstrations, exhibitions, guided tours... and take the opportunity to discover the history of the town of Henrichemont, linked to the great character of Sully.

Is there nothing to do in winter?
Of course there are! Many sites are open to visitors all year round.
For example, you can make a day trip to the castle of Sully, the oratory of Germigny des prés, the abbey of St Benoit sur Loire and its interpretation centre.
Or stay close to B&B L'Echappée Belle and visit the Gien Faience Museum and the Castle Museum, then go to Briare to see the canal bridge and the enamels in the village church.
The beautiful village of Aubigny sur Nere awaits you, as well as its interpretation centre at the Stuart Castle, where you can discover why this piece of Scotland existed in French territory. You can extend your route to the castle of La Chapelle d'Angillon, which is also open all year round. Why not extend this tour to discover the Pôle des étoiles in Nançay?
Or perhaps you would prefer to do some wine tourism. Visit the Menetou Salon and the La Borne ceramics centre in Henrichemont. Then on to Sancerre, where you will discover a beautiful village and treat your taste buds.
Want to visit a royal city? Bourges, with its magnificent Jacques Coeur palace and cathedral, can be a day trip.
And of course, the banks of the Loire, the canals, the forests of Orléans and Sologne remain open!

In May, the iris bloom in GienIn May, the great iris grower Cayeux, located in Poilly lez Gien, opens its doors to you to admire the flowering of its irises.


Classic or modern creations, small or large, early or late, reblooming or not, you will discover the rich variety of this magnificent flower. A real firework of colours.


You will also be able to buy some on the spot if you wish.

As every year, Sully sur Loire hosts the Historical Hours.

More than 1000 people in costume evoke history, from the Middle Ages to the Vietnam War.

A real journey through time around the castle of Sully.

Parades, re-enactments, demonstrations, but also market and shows.

This is an original event, near L'Echappée Belle.
In Lion en Sullias, every last Sunday of May, the Acacia Flower Doughnut Festival is held.

Come and try this speciality and discover that honey is not the only purpose of this delicate flower.
There will also be concerts, a flea market, entertainment and a guided tour of the town.

Do you prefer wine tasting? On Saturday, Gien organises the Coteaux du Giennois festival. An opportunity to discover this appellation and to meet the producers.

The Wine Fair is back in the beautiful village of Sancerre. Take advantage of this event to visit but also to taste. You buy a glass at 6€ and you can go from stand to stand to taste the wines of the different producers. With moderation, of course.

For nature lovers, the Loiret has much to offer, with magnificent parks and arboretums to visit.
But the Loiret is also famous for its roses, and there is a tourist route dedicated to them.
L'Echappée Belle, with its rose garden, is one of the accommodations on this route.

Roses are in bloom from May to October, but the best time to see the most roses is between the end of May and June.
Numerous parks, rose gardens, rose growers... welcome you and show you their most beautiful roses. And like the table d'hôtes of L'Echappée Belle, the rose is also on the menus of the restaurants along the route.

On the first weekend of june, in France, the "Rendez-vous aux jardins" will take place. This is an opportunity to discover the many parks and gardens in the region by taking advantage of special events during the weekend.

You can also take advantage of the advice of gardeners or owners who will also be present for these days.

Among others, guided tours of the personal garden of André Eve, the famous rose gardener, or activities at the Château de la Bussière.

The music festival of Sully sur Loire (which also takes place in the surrounding communes) takes place in June.

Each year, internationally renowned artists of all styles perform in the Loiret in Sully sur Loire and also in the surrounding communes.
(in 2023, Ibrahim Maalouf, Murray Head, Rhoda Scott, Anne Queffélec, Kotaro Fukuma among others).

The detailed programme and reservations are here.

From 13 to 14th July, Aubigny sur Nère organises the Franco-Scottish Festival. Parades and pipe band competition, Highland games, medieval market, fireworks...

This piece of French territory was a Scottish enclave for several centuries.

The King of France gave it to the Stuarts in gratitude for their contribution to the war against the English.

This is a fascinating history that you can discover thanks to the exhibition at the Stuart Castle in Aubigny.

Also on 13 and 14 July, opposite the Colette museum, the potters' fair takes place in Saint Sauveur en Puisaye, not far from the Saint Fargeau castle.

More than 70 exhibitors are waiting for you on these lands where pottery has a long history.

Take a tour of the town of Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, renowned since the 14th century for the quality of its pottery thanks to its exceptional clay soil.

The Saint-Brisson sur Loire Castle  offers night-time activities during the summer season.

Aperitif at the Château on Saturday evenings. From 7pm to 11.45pm, music, wine and local products to taste.

The "Night of the Stars" with a visit of the castle in the dark and silence. Then an evening of observation on the deckchairs in front of the castle.

Or even night-time activities for the Heritage Days.

Organised by Autrement Classique, this festival takes place every year in Briare.It takes place in the 2nd half of July.

Concerts are organised in the auditorium or in the open air, like this 2022 concert "Chopin les pieds dans l'eau", which took place on the Briare canal bridge and was a great success.

Exceptional historical instruments, chamber music ensembles, symphony orchestras, opera singers... are all on hand to promote the Romantic piano.

Programme to come and reservations here.

On the last Saturday in July, as every year for the last 50 years, the international fireworks manufacturer Ruggieri will offer us a magnificent show above the Briare Canal in Rogny les Sept Ecluses.

45 minutes to dazzle you in a family and friendly atmosphere. You can enjoy the site before the show, eat on site or take a picnic to enjoy on the grass by the water.

Take advantage of this open cellar weekend to visit the Menetou Salon and meet the producers, visit their cellars and taste their wines.

There is a choice of traditional or modern cellars, like the one pictured here, which is brand new, from the producer who supplies L'Echappée Belle: Fraiseau-Leclerc.

The beautiful Château de Menetou Salon, on the Route Jacques Coeur, will also be open for visits and tastings this weekend!

On the 21st and 22d of September, many events will take place in the region. Activities, conferences, open doors, themed tours, private châteaux exceptionally open to the public...

An opportunity to discover the rich history of the region.

A few examples of exceptional events: unusual visits to the Bussière Castle, guided visits to the National Arboretum of Les Barres, guided visits to the personal garden of André Eve, famous French rose grower...