There's so much to do in the Loiret and neighbouring regions.
To help you choose, here is a selection of events not to be missed. And for your stay, L'Échappée Belle B&B
will make it easy for you to enjoy them all.
For its guests on the night of 31 December, L'Echappée Belle is offering a New Year's Eve menu at its table d'hôtes for €45 per person (excluding drinks, a menu of which you can see here).
The menu will be announced later.
If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail: contact@lecb.fr
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 château 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 Hunting Château-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 Château, where you can discover why this piece of Scotland existed in French territory.
You can extend your route to the Château 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!
A long-standing local tradition, this annual fair has already been held over 1,440 times.
Farm animals, farm machinery, local producers - they'll all be there for demonstrations, tastings and parades from 9am to 5pm.
There will also be food stalls, horse-drawn carriage rides through the town and a funfair!
This event marks the start of the summer season. Every year, the Arboretum des Grandes Bruyères reopens its doors in
mid-March for the occasion.
And what an occasion it is! The arboretum boasts a national magnolia collection, with over 400 varieties.
There's plenty to feast your eyes on in this splendid garden.
This phenomenon takes place in the second half of March and reaches its peak in April.
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 château of Sully.
Parades, re-enactments, demonstrations, but also market and shows.
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.
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.
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?
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: the Rose Route.
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.
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 2024, Pascal Obispo, Thomas Lefort, Christophe Maé, Duo Berlinskaia-Ancelle, Liya Petrova-Adam Laloum, Olivia Ruiz among others).
The detailed programme and reservations are here.
On the weekend closest to 14 July, Aubigny sur Nère organises the Fêtes Franco-Ecossaises. Pipe band parades, 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 Château in Aubigny.
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.
Also on the weekend closest to 14 July, opposite the Musée Colette, the pottery fair takes place at Saint Sauveur en Puisaye, not far from the Château de Saint Fargeau.
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.
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!
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.
This great event, which takes place every two years in Orléans, is Europe's largest meeting of river mariners. More than 200 boats will be present. This Loire Festival will take you back to the
great days of the 19th century, when the Loire was a key route for trade.
Activities, exhibitions, educational and fun workshops, parades and boat rides, bargemen's songs, fireworks...
This year, lake navigation will also be represented, with the Alpine lakes of France, Switzerland and Italy as guests of honour.
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.
On the 20th and 21st 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 Château, guided visits to the National
Arboretum of Les Barres, guided visits to the personal garden of André Eve, famous French rose grower...
Go to L'Echappee Belle's Facebook page for more news.