Beaugency is a small town in the Loire Valley of France, famous for its medieval history, castle and churches, and prime position on the Loire River.
We visited Beaugency on a day trip from Orleans, where we were living in late 2025. Since Beaugency is only 20 minutes on the train from Orleans, it was a very easy day trip!
All I knew before arriving in Beaugency was that it was supposed to be a cute little city. And it sure was! But is “cute” enough of a reason to visit?
After spending the day in Beaugency, eating in the town square, touring the castle, and visiting various churches, towers and monuments, I’m happy to report that we had a great time.
Below I’ll share why we enjoyed Beaugency so much and six good reasons you should add Beaugency to your Loire Valley itinerary!
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1. Beaugency is a charming medieval town
I was told that Beaugency was going to be cute and it certainly was! This charming medieval town dates back over one thousand years and has lots of beautiful buildings, parks and cobblestone roads to show for it.
To add to the small town charm, Beaugency hosts a market on Saturday mornings. We arrived just as the Beaugency market was finishing up, but still got to wander through some of the produce stalls.
The Saturday market just closing up
On our way back to the train station, we walked down Rue de Change and I couldn’t walk two feet without stopping to take another photo. I’ve also heard that Rue du Ravelin is a very picturesque street with a stream running down it.
We visited Beaugency on a Saturday in late October, and I was surprised by how quiet it was. While we were outside of the summer tourist season, I still expected the city to be busy on a sunny weekend.
It was cool to know that towns like this can still be empty of tourists and offer lots of quiet, hidden alleyways for visitors to discover. I’m sure it gets busier in the summer, but Beaugency is still off the regular tourist track in France (for now!).
2. Chateau de Beaugency is one of the most unique castles in the Loire Valley
We visited seven Loire Valley chateaux while living in Orleans and I’d have to say that Chateau de Beaugency was the most unique. Why? Because the castle is a contemporary art gallery!
While most of the other Loire Valley castles we visited were staged to look like they were still in Renaissance times, Beaugency Chateau went in the opposite direction. The only thing Renaissance-era about this castle is the building itself.
Inside you’ll find light installations, interactive digital art, AI portraits and – because we visited around Halloween – skeletons, cobwebs and spooky masks!
Chateau de Beaugency is also known as Chateau de Lumieres or the Castle of Lights. That’s because most of the digital art inside the castle, as well as the art show they do outside on the castle walls at night, utilizes light in cool and interesting ways.
You’ll enter the castle as a group (with entry happening about every 15 minutes) and watch an introductory film about the castle and art displays first before being allowed to go explore.
Pro tip: Once the film is over, skip the first room (you can circle back to it later) so you can get ahead of the group. That way, you’ll have more of the castle to yourself rather than moving as a big mob.
Exploring the castle garden solo
I did this and got to enjoy the chateau’s garden all to myself! By the time you get to the upper floors, the group disperses a bit more, but the first few rooms on the ground floor can get packed.
There were lots of different wings and art pieces to check out throughout the floors of the castle. My favourites were the cube made out of rainbow lights, the floor that lit up when you walked on it, and the ball pit!
While it was interesting to see what art piece would be coming up next, some of them were a bit lacklustre (like one room that just seemed to have a few white tree trunks in it).
I’m not a big art person, so I can’t say this castle was exactly my cup of tea. Honestly, I might have preferred if it was just dressed up in Renaissance times like the other chateaux!
That said, if you are into contemporary art or tired of yet another historically staged castle, Chateau de Beaugency could be a lot of fun. It also seemed to be a big hit with families and little kids, as a lot of the art was interactive.
3. You can eat at delicious Beaugency restaurants
After researching restaurants in Beaugency, I found Teo Jasmin, so that’s where we headed for lunch.
Teo Jasmin Beaugency is a popular spot in town, offering two floors of dining, a big menu and a glass case full of tempting desserts. They even had an elevator to the second floor so we could easily bring our stroller up.
The decor at Teo Jasmin is really fun. Everywhere you’ll look you’ll see French bulldogs dressed up in funny outfits – on pillows, on posters, as statues, etc.
The restaurant also hosts a lot of celebrities and there’s a wall of photos of celebs posing with the French bulldog decor. Most were French stars, but I recognized a few English/American actors too, like Mae Whitman, Alfie Allen and William H Macy.
Let’s get to the important part – the food! I ordered a salad with avocado and chicken and Colin ordered a burger. We both found our meals tasty, if a little overpriced. Baby C was also a big fan of both meals!
Other highly-rated Beaugency restaurants include: La Bouchée, L’Arganier Beaugency, Restaurant la Rôtisserie des Moines, Restaurant Chez Henri II Beaugency, and Restaurant Les Pieds sous la Table d’Adeline.
4. There are lots of historic churches, towers and monuments to visit
Joan of Arc in front of Clocher Saint Firmin
Besides Beaugency Castle, there are a few other important places and monuments you’ll want to visit in Beaugency. The entire town is small and walkable, so you can see all of these spots easily.
On your way to the castle, you’ll pass a statue of Joan of Arc and Clocher Saint Firmin (the Bell Tower of Saint Firmin) right behind it. The bell tower is all that remains of a 12th Century church that used to stand on that spot.
Next to Chateau de Beaugency is a church, Abbatiale Notre-Dame de Beaugency. The church is over 800 years old and we were very impressed by the carvings and stained glass inside.
The Abbery is also where Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Louis VII had their marriage annulled, allowing Eleanor to marry King Henry Plantagenet of England.
Also next to the castle is Tour de Cesar (Cesar Tower), which was built in the 11th Century and is one of France’s tallest keeps at 36 metres (120 feet) tall. I had to keep backing up to get it all in one frame!
Tour de Cesar
During the Battle of Beaugency in 1429, the tower played an important role in helping Joan of Arc and her army secure the river crossing and claim victory.
On our way back to the train station, we stopped to look at Tour de l’Horloge or Tour du Change, Beaugency’s famous clock tower. It was built in the 11th Century, was where currency exchange took place in the Middle Ages and has housed the city clock since 1511.
Tour de l’Horloge 
Mairie de Beaugency
Nearby is Mairie de Beaugency, the 16th Century town hall. The outside of the building is beautiful and apparently there are some impressive wall hangings inside, but it didn’t seem open when we walked by.
You can also visit Pont de Beaugency (a rebuilt bridge over the river that was originally built in the 14th Century), Église Saint-Etienne (a 12th Century Roman style church) and Tour du Diable (another medieval tower).
5. It’s easy to visit Beaugency from Orleans, Blois or even Paris by train
Beaugency train station
Another good reason to visit Beaugency is because it’s an easy train ride from Orleans, Blois or even Paris. So you could add it on as a full day or half day trip without much hassle.
The fastest direct train from Orleans to Beaugency takes 18 minutes; and the fastest direct train from Blois to Beaugency takes 17 minutes.
From Paris, you would first connect in Orleans and then take a train to Beaugency. You could do the entire trip in under 90 minutes!
When we visited Beaugency from our home base in Orleans, we ended up on a slightly slower train that took 30 minutes instead of 18. Still, it was a fast, affordable and comfortable ride!
From the train station, it’s a very short walk into the city centre where you’ll find all of the historic monuments, restaurants and the castle.
6. You can combine a day trip to Beaugency with other nearby towns
Meung-sur-Loire 
Orleans 
Chambord
Because you can see the highlights of Beaugency in about half a day, and because it’s so easily reachable by train, it makes for a perfect combo trip.
The easiest town to visit alongside Beaugency would be Meung-sur-Loire. Meung-sur-Loire is just five minutes on the train from Beaugency and is another charming medieval town.
We visited Meung-sur-Loire in October and I was surprised by how much I loved it. Meung-sur-Loire Chateau with its dragon theme, awesome interiors and extensive outdoor areas was a highlight!
You could also combine Beaugency with sightseeing in Orleans or sightseeing in Blois, since both cities are less than 20 minutes away by train. Choose one or the other, as they’re in opposite directions from Beaugency.
Or if you have a car, you could combine Beaugency with a visit to a nearby castle! Chateau de Chambord (25 min drive away) or Chateau de Cheverny (45 min drive away) are both good options, and two of my favourite chateaux.
While Beaugency is easily accessible by train, I’d recommend renting a car if you plan to visit more chateaux, smaller medieval towns or wineries while in the Loire Valley.
Beaugency, France FAQs
Where is Beaugency?
Beaugency is in France’s Loire Valley, between Orleans and Blois on the Loire River. It is south of Paris.
How do you get to Beaugency, France?
The easiest way to get to Beaugency is by train. It’s a 20 minute direct train ride from Orleans or Blois. From Paris, it takes 90 minutes to get to Beaugency (connecting in Orleans).
How long do you need to spend in Beaugency?
You could see the highlights of Beaugency in half a day. That’s why it makes such a great day trip in the Loire Valley, because you can combine it with other nearby sites.
Where should you stay in Beaugency?
Wrapping up: My final review of our day trip to Beaugency, France
Posing with the Halloween decor outside Chateau de Beaugency
Overall, I’m very glad we went on a day trip to Beaugency. It was easy to get there from Orleans, we ate at a nice restaurant and the town was so picturesque as we walked around.
While Chateau de Beaugency was very unique with its digital art, it wasn’t my favourite Loire Valley castle. I much preferred the ones that were staged in the Renaissance era. But I am glad we had a chance to see something different!
Beaugency is the perfect place to visit if you want to stroll around medieval streets, shop the Saturday market, gaze up at 11th Century clocks and towers, and maybe take in a little contemporary art!
Even if you skipped the castle, I still think you could have an excellent day just getting lost down the charming alleyways of Beaugency, France.
Let me know: Is Beaugency making your France bucket list? And share your charming medieval town recommendations with me in the comments below!
Check out the rest of my Loire Valley, France posts to plan your trip:
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