Nevers to Fleury-sur-Loire

The Canal Latéral à la Loire

We are on a one-week trip from Briare to Decize, 130 kilometers on the Canal Latéral à la Loire along the edge of Burgundy in central France. We just spent the night at Nevers, where we saw its large double cathedral of Saint Cyr and Sainte Julitta.

Now we will leave its large boat basin and return to the main canal via the long side channel. The main canal turns to the south, taking us past the small town of Sermoise-sur-Loire.

We will stop at Chevenon to get lunch and see a very impressive château. We will continue to the southeast and tie up for our last night along the canal at Fleury-sur-Loire.

Part of map NL-31-5 from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.

Sermoise-sur-Loire

Chevenon

Château de Chevenon

The Château de Chevenon was built between 1382 and 1406 by William I of Chevenon, appointed captain of Vincennes by King Charles V. It's in the style of the Vincennes château, a tall rectangular house with round towers on two corners and square towers on the other two. It was rebuilt in the 16th, and restored in the 19th.

Bob in his pajamas at Château de Chevenon, south of Nevers near the Canal Latéral à la Loire.

Large round towers of the Château de Chevenon, south of Nevers near the Canal Latéral à la Loire.

Square towers of the Château de Chevenon, south of Nevers near the Canal Latéral à la Loire.

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Rear façade of the Château de Chevenon, south of Nevers near the Canal Latéral à la Loire.

A nearby sign says:

The Château of Chevenon

It is considered the most prestigious of all the châteaux of the Nivernais region, both in its structure and state of conservation and by the nobility of its interiors.

The château which remains today was built between 1382 and 1406, in the style of the château of Vincennes, in place of two residences which have disappeared.

Initially, it was a square protected by two surrounding ditches and two strong round towers.

Parts of the original château that were threatening to collapse were demolished in the second half of the 18th century, leaving only the body of the west stately home, better protected than others.

In 1770 two large towers were destroyed and in 1773 the ditches were filled and the surrounding curtain walls demolished. Thus was delivered to the wreckers part of the fortress which without fail had resisted for centuries the most violent attacks. The west façade is now flanked by two remaining round towers. The walls are still pierced with arrow loopholes and gun ports, sometimes replaced by small windows.

Despite the alterations made to the 17th and 18th centuries, Chevanon remains one of the finest castles of Nivernais.