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Sully-sur-Loire
The main attraction
at Sully-sur-Loire is its moated
château (bourg).
It is a superb
example of a medieval fortress. Built in
the 14th century on a site that since Roman times has been one of the  few
bridge crossings of the Loire River, it is a
defensible fortress. That fact sets it apart from the majority of
châteaux
in the Upper Loire region, which would fall rather into the category of
plush palaces than secure bastions.
The château’s most
famous owner was
Maximilien de Bethune, first duke of Sully and prime minister of the
government under Henri IV. Together they gave France a bit more than
two decades of much needed peace, from 1589 to 1610. For quite a long
time the
castle belonged to Maximilien's descendants, but now it is a publicly
owned
museum
with tapestries, paintings, sculptures and other ancient artifacts.
Every year in June,
Sully-sur-Loire hosts a classical
music festival with concerts which take place in a large
marquee on the chateau grounds and also at the Eglise Saint-Germain
(Rue du faubourg Saint-Germain).
Apart from the
château, the commune of
Sully-sur-Loire itself is an interesting place to stroll the streets,
browse the shops, perhaps stop at a restaurant or outdoor
café. Pictured below is the Hôtel de Ville (city
hall), located at the corner of Place Maurice de Sully and Rue Porte de
Sologne. La Poste is at Rue du Grand Sully,
conveniently located near the castle. Also in the vicinity are several
banks with
exterior ATM machines and Le Castle Tavern, a pub
serving Irish stouts and other beverages and food.
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Sully-sur-Loire
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