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Town of Dun-sur-Auron|Route Jacques Cœur

Dun-sur-Auron Formerly Dun-le-Roy

Dependent on the Viscounty of Bourges in the Middle Ages, the town became royal in 1101 under Philip I and was fortified under Philip Auguste.

Today, the town reveals its medieval past through an emblematic belfry, streets lined with timber-framed houses and ramparts overlooking the Auron River and the Berry Canal.

On foot, explore the surrounding countryside and its sensitive natural areas.

Le Dunois Tourist Information Centre
Postal address: 18 avenue Jean Jaurès 18130 Dun-sur-Auron
Telephone number: 02 48 64 38 10
E-mail: [email protected]

Getting there

Privilege PASS Privilege Pass

For one year, save over €100 on admission tickets and events at over 30 sites (châteaux, parks, gardens, museums, exhibitions, historic towns, etc.).

Activities

Guided tours of the Belfry and the Canal de Berry Museum

Free admission.

Bookings must be made at the Tourist Information Point by calling 02 48 64 38 10.

Guided tour timetable

December and January: Wednesday to Friday, 9.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm – Saturday, 9am to 1pm.

February to November: Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5.30pm – Saturday, 9am to 1pm.

Nature outings in the Marais de Contres and Chaumes de la Périsse

  • Photo outing – Portraits of plants and insects, Les Chaumes de la Périsse: 25 April at 9am, booking required on 02 48 70 76 26.
  • Discovery walk on the largest causse in Berry, Les Chaumes de la Périsse: 23 May at 9am, booking required on 02 48 83 00 28.
  • Start of the night on the great causse, Les Chaumes de la Périsse: 8 August at 8pm, by reservation on 02 48 83 00 28.
  • Atypical walk – Wild fruit and autumn colours, Les Chaumes de la Périsse: 26 September at 2.30pm, by reservation on 02 48 83 00 28.

Dun Pas D’âne (donkey rides)

From €20 for 1 hour.

All year round, by appointment.

Bookings by telephone on 06 26 71 44 21.

Practical info

Find out more about the venue

Dun-sur-Auron, Berry's 3rd royal town 

In 1101, Eudes Arpin, the last lord of the town, sold the town to the King of France, making it the 3rd royal city in Berry, to the south of the royal domain.

Dun-sur-Auron, ancient origins 

Before becoming a royal town, the town’s origins date back to Gallo-Roman times. Established near the River Auron, the local economy was based on the cultivation of fertile land, sheep farming and the use of stone quarries – of which there were many in the vicinity – and iron mines from Antiquity onwards.

Dun-sur-Auron, a town through the industrial revolution 

In the 19th century, with the arrival of the railways and the digging of the Canal de Berry, the town experienced a revival in activity with the transport of stone, iron ore and goods via the Canal de Berry. A whole society grew up around the canal. Decommissioned and closed in the mid-19th century, the Canal de Berry was even partially blocked off at the port, where the municipal swimming pool was built in the 1970s.

A museum housed in the former 13th-century prisons traces the history of the canal.

The town also saw the emergence of a new type of psychiatric establishment, with the creation of family placements and a hospital open to the world with Dr Auguste Marie.

Labels  Town of Dun-sur-Auron