Bellegarde brings together château history, garden culture and the region’s rose heritage. The donjon, several gardens and the Sentier de la Rose offer different ways to explore; there is also a sculpture collection, the Notre-Dame church and temporary summer exhibitions. This makes it possible to choose a destination based on specific interests: history and art, horticulture or a walking trail with a connection to the region’s roses.
Château history and gardens
The donjon recalls the building history of the Château de Bellegarde: it was rebuilt in stone from wood and inaugurated by King Charles V in 1376. The château grounds and gardens are open to visitors free of charge year-round, with a downloadable guide. They can therefore be a focus of your visit even if you are not planning your trip around a summer exhibition.
The gardens each have a different focus. The Jardin Jean-Jacques Malet includes 300 plant species or varieties, while the Roseraie de Bellegarde brings together more than 70 rose varieties. The medieval-inspired garden includes an area with dye, medicinal and culinary plants, a Marian garden and an orchard. Visitors especially interested in garden culture can therefore explore several distinct themes rather than just a single rose show.
Art, church and local history
The Pavillon d’Antin at the Château de Bellegarde houses the Desvergnes collection, comprising 46 original sculptures by Charles Desvergnes. The Wivisites smartphone tour explores the history of the château and offers another way to discover the town’s past. The two experiences take different forms: one focuses on a specific sculpture collection, the other on a digital historical tour.
The Notre-Dame de Bellegarde church is open for self-guided visits free of charge year-round, or as part of guided town tours. Since 2015, the town council’s cultural department has presented free temporary summer exhibitions on the town’s history. If these exhibitions are important to your trip, take their seasonal schedule into account when planning your visit.
Rose heritage on the move
The Sentier de la Rose is an 8 km walking trail between Bellegarde and Quiers-sur-Bezonde. It showcases the region’s horticultural rose heritage and complements the gardens with a route connecting two towns. The Foire aux Rosiers offers a different reason to visit: it features three days of festivities and more than 200 exhibitors. If you would like to include the exhibition or the Foire aux Rosiers in your trip, check the relevant dates before booking.
Plan your stay around your interests
To decide whether Bellegarde suits your plans, it is worth looking at the different highlights. The donjon, sculpture collection, church and tour focus on architectural and local history; the Jardin Jean-Jacques Malet, Roseraie, medieval-inspired garden and Sentier de la Rose highlight plants and rose heritage. This lets you choose a destination based on the subject that interests you most, rather than assuming the attractions form a fixed route.
You can also plan when to visit based on the opening conditions: the château grounds and gardens, as well as Notre-Dame, are open to visitors free of charge year-round, while the exhibitions are temporary summer events. The Foire aux Rosiers has a specific event date. If you are looking for hotels for a trip to Bellegarde, this distinction can help you first decide on the right reason and time for your visit.
Discover more destinations: Moulon, Montargis, Cléry-Saint-André, Ormes, Cerdon, Oussoy-en-Gâtinais, Bonny-sur-Loire, Gidy
For the main travel overview: Loiret.
