Located in central France, this medieval city is known for its 13th-century Gothic cathedral, a UNESCO site, and the 12th-century Aveyron Tower with city views.
Bourges, in central France, has a 13th-century Gothic cathedral where you can climb 396 steps for city views. You'll find medieval streets with 500 half-timbered houses, and can explore the Jacques Coeur Palace with its carved hearts and shells. Outside the city walls, local gardeners tend their plots in the marshlands, reaching them by punt boats. Each spring, the Printemps de Bourges festival fills the medieval streets with modern music.
The Gothic Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saint Étienne dominates the city center with its asymmetrical towers and five sculptured doorways. Built between 1195 and 1255, the cathedral's inner aisles reach heights of 37 meters. The 12th and 13th-century stained glass windows cast colored light patterns on the stone floors and walls. Climb the 396 steps of the Butter Tower for views across the city and the archbishop's garden below.
Medieval District
The streets north of the cathedral form the medieval heart of Bourges, where more than 500 half-timbered houses line the narrow lanes. Place Gordaine marks the center of this district, with buildings that survived the Great Fire of 1487. You can visit several preserved Roman towers, including one that now houses a tea room where you can rest while exploring the old town.
Les Marais Gardens
Local residents maintain small vegetable gardens and flower plots in the former marshlands outside the city walls. On weekends, you'll see gardeners rowing their punt boats along the narrow canals to reach their plots, continuing a practice that began during the French Revolution when the land was redistributed. Walking paths between the gardens give you views of the cathedral's spires above the city walls.
Getting Around Bourges
You can walk across the historic center in about 20 minutes. Most central parking requires payment, but you'll find free parking lots within 400 meters of the main sights. The train station has direct connections to Paris (1 hour 45 minutes by TGV), Lyon, and other major cities.
Food and Markets
Visit the Halle Saint-Bonnet market on Sunday mornings to try Crottin de Chavignol cheese, Sancerre wines, and seasonal produce from the Berry region. Many restaurants in the medieval district serve local specialties like Easter pie and potato pancakes using traditional recipes.
The Jacques Coeur Palace
The Jacques Coeur Palace, completed in 1450, combines a feudal castle design on one side with a residential facade on the other. Built on Gallo-Roman foundations, the palace walls include carved hearts and shells, symbols of Jacques Coeur, the royal financier who funded Joan of Arc's military campaigns. You can tour the interior rooms to see the medieval kitchen, private chapel, and living quarters.
