Rich heritage including some castles of the Loire and the art of earthenware, natural riches including the mosaic of landscape shaped by the Loire, gastronomic riches including its products AOC, Gien is an ideal destination for a car ride rich in discovery and scenery .Book a Private Chauffeured car service from airport to Gien
History of Gien
Among the towns and villages with the historical and natural wealth of Loiret, here is Gien. Indeed, it is a charming little town on the banks of the Loire. According to the Gallo-Roman remains discovered in the ancient city, Gien was already a small city of antiquity. There is not enough historical document that traces the history of Gien during this period. However, in the Middle Ages, the city, known as Gien-le-Vieux, took such a boom that it became a parish. She gets her church Saint-Pierre-et-Paul in the 3rd century thanks to Saint Peregrine, 1st bishop of Auxerre. Gien is also known as the halting place of Pepin the Short in 760, when the latter and his wife went to fight the Aquitaine and Vascons.
A new agglomeration in place of the current town
After the abandonment of Gien-le-Vieux in the tenth century, a new agglomeration is formed in place of the current city. The city of Gien was attached to the Royal Domain. It had its first stone bridge in 1246. At the end of the 1200s the fortification of the city began. Four enclosures were successively erected around the city. Anne de Beaujeu, regent of the kingdom between 1483 to 1491, made Gien one of his principal residences. She has contributed a lot to the beautification of the city. In particular, there was the reconstruction of the castle in the Renaissance style, the reconstruction of the bridge, the expansion of the fortification and the construction of beautiful renaissance hotels.
After the War of Religion
After the vicissitudes of the War of Religion, then of the French Revolution which passed without clash and without bloodshed, the city of Gien is modernized in the 19th century. It was equipped with a prison, a charity office, a brewery, a sandstone factory, tanneries, printing houses. In 1823, the department of Loiret bought the castle of Gien 31 000 francs to the count of Feydeau, last lord of Gien. The latter turned it into a sub-prefecture office. The administration also set up the court and the prison. The Second World War wreaked havoc in Gien: 422 buildings totally destroyed and 921 partially destroyed. The reconstruction begins in 1941, then continues more beautiful during the Thirty Glorious. New neighborhoods have seen the days. The city is also equipped with an industrial zone and new sports equipment. So that you can explore the city in your own way, do not forget that we offer you different types of vehicles.
Gien nowadays
Currently, Gien is an attractive city that promises an exciting walk. The banks of the Loire are one of the places of interest of travelers who come to the city. Indeed, the banks of the river are full of beautiful corners for camping as well as trails for cycling or walking. You can still admire the remains of the 14th century fortification. The municipality of Giennoise is also quite equipped in swimming pool.
A city worth visiting
Chauffeur-driven tourism in Gien takes you on the trail of local produce that makes the distinction of Loiret. Starting with wine, the noble beverage that benefits from the AOC Coteaux du Giennois. We must travel the wine region of Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and its surroundings to discover the cellars and vineyards of Loiret and Nièvre. A detour to Poilly-les-Gien leads you to the door of producer of Crottin de Chavignol, a goat’s cheese that also benefits from an AOC appellation. A beer tasting of Amilly, during a break is also essential, women and children can fall back on the best chocolate mocha, bought before departure in the shop in Gien Chocothèque.
Typical and endearing city
To eat, Gien has some cafes and restaurants that serve particularly tasty recipes. The atmosphere in their small warm and friendly rooms is unmatched. The dishes, concocted with love and care recall the good memories of childhood, during the holidays spent with his grandmother in the countryside. Beyond these tourist aspects, Gien is a quiet city, animated by the joie de vivre of its inhabitants. People like to live there, because the city gives them the impression of living in the countryside. The inhabitants benefit from the train to move. The trade has everything you need. The city has a polyclinic and a hospital. For your stay in the city, we can provide a day rental service.
What to visit in Gien?
The castle of Gien
The Castle of Gien built from 1482 under the initiative of Anne de Beaujeu. Some great monarchs of France, including Francis I, Charles IX, Louis XIV have stayed in this beautiful Renaissance style building. Transformed into an administrative building in the 19th century, the castle is then converted into an International Hunting Museum as it is today. It is a place to visit with family. It houses complete collection and international dimension of different hunting techniques: falconry, trapping, hunting, hunting and hunting shooting. You can see an exhibition of hunting weapons from prehistoric times to modern times. The castle-museum also houses a collection of artwork.
The museum of the Faiencerie of Gien
Gien is famous for its pottery whose fame has greatly exceeded the borders. Gien’s pottery products are part of the prestigious Comité Colbert, which groups together the major French luxury brands. For the record, the Gien Faïencerie was created in 1821. It continues to produce the most beautiful and unmatched pieces and remains one of the most important in Europe. The Museum of Earthenware tells almost 200 years of history through its collector’s items. It is a Mecca of the French know-how of earthenware which is both art and crafts. You can enjoy your visit to buy some beautiful pieces to decorate your home or to give as a gift.
The slopes of Giennois
The vineyards of the center of Loire offer you its exceptional white wines. This “mini wine route” between Nièvre and Loiret is a journey between vineyards, cities and the river. You can perfectly combine landscape discovery and tasting session.
Picturesque villages around
Picnic, or even fish, at the pond of Plancherotte. Visit the Pays Fort and make a small stop. Walk along the Briare canal and take a short river cruise. In Briare, you can also leave the car a little aside and take a short tour on the tourist train. You can for example visit some castles and farms of Puisaye. Know that we can provide you with a high quality professional transfer service.
Private Chauffeured car service to Gien
Small picturesque town of Loiret, Gien has everything to please. It is 66 km from the Sainte-Croix Cathedral in Orléans and 20 km from the Arboretum National des Barres. With your passenger car with driver, you should know that the Orly Airport is 142.6 km and the CDG Airport 174 km