©Parc et château de Pesselières｜Route Jacques Cœur

Park and castle
de Pesselières The Romantic Park in Sancerrois

As you stroll through its romantic grounds, you’ll discover an arboretum, a labyrinth of hornbeam hedges, flower-filled riverbanks and a Jardin Clos, as well as an avenue of three-hundred-year-old box trees and an avenue of topiaries. A former residence and stronghold of the Marshals of the County of Sancerre from the 14th to 18th centuries, Château de Pesselières became a pleasure residence under Louis XIV.

Postal address: Château de Pesselières 18300 Jalognes
Telephone: 02 48 72 90 49
E-mail: chateaudepesselieres@gmail.com

Getting there

What you'll love

A romantic castle

Remarkable trees and plants

Bucolic walks through labyrinths and orchards

See all activities

PASS Privilège

Take advantage of over €95 in cumulative savings on all PASS member and partner sites, so you can visit at a smart price!

Château de Pesselières Privilege Pass price: €4 instead of €8 for a visit to the gardens

Self-guided tour of the château exterior and gardens

Adults: €8
Privilege Pass: €4
Free: children under 12 (accompanied by an adult)

Guided group tour

Forgroups of 10 adults or more, booking required: €10

Nature activities timetable

May 1 to September 28, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-12.30pm and 2pm-6.30pm

Tour: château exteriors, main courtyard, bridge, moat, river, park and gardens.

Fête des iris 2025 (every 2 years)

The Iris Festival is an opportunity to discover our collection of dozens of different varieties and their color combinations.

Information by telephone on 02 48 72 90 49 or by e-mail chateaudepesselieres@gmail.com

Rendez-vous in the gardens

June 1 and 2 – Price: €5

European Heritage Days

September 21 and 22 – Price: €5

Practical info

Annual opening hours
MAY – SEPTEMBER
May 1 to September 28, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-12.30pm and 2pm-6pm.
Access and transport
Parking 80m from the entrance gate, indicated by arrows.
From Bourges, D955, D49 then D52e to Jalognes – From Sancerre, D955, D359, D49 to Veaugues then D52e to Jalognes – GPS 47.12.55 – 02.46.42
Wedding photos
Wedding photos in the park on reservation (€50 package).
Means of payment
Cash, credit card, cheques.
Pets
No dogs allowed.
Host languages
Visitors welcome in French and English.
Reduced rates (on presentation of proof of entitlement)
Route Jacques Cœur Privilege Pass
(click here to buy your Pass and benefit from reduced rates)
PMR accessibility
Visitors with reduced mobility are very welcome, and we are always happy to accommodate them wherever possible.
All driveways in the park and gardens are laid to lawn, so please contact the château beforehand in wet weather to ensure that they are passable.
Contact us

Photo gallery

Find out more about the location

Pesselières, first castle and fortified house

The first mention of the seigneury of Pesselières dates back to 1170, under the possession of the Livron family (lord of Villequiers). In 1381, reference is made to the “ château et maison forte de Pesselières “, owned by the de La Porte family. The north-west wing with its stair tower and central main building retain traces of the medieval edifice, with architectural elements dating from the 15th century. During the Wars of Religion, the Pesselières stronghold was occupied successively by League troops (1589) and Royalist troops (1591). It was partly destroyed.

From fortified house to U-shaped plan

The 1674 plan of the County of Sancerre shows Château de Pesselières after its partial reconstruction, probably in the 1st quarter of the 17th century, by Jean Guibert: U-shaped, surrounded by a moat, with an entrance châtelet controlling the drawbridge. The rusticated entrance door dates from this period, and leads to a flight of stone steps.

From the U-shaped plan to the redevelopment of the park and gardens of Pesselières in the 19th century

In the 1st half of the 18th century, the south-east wing was rebuilt on an earlier structure. In 1823, Eugène Boin, a judge in Sancerre and owner of Pesselières, had a chapel built in the château’s lower courtyard. Then, in the 2nd half of the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Collard redeveloped the château, adding a turret, raising the crenellated tower above ground level, modifying the openings and redesigning the interior in a neo-Renaissance style.

The outbuildings were rebuilt and the dovecote appears to have been relocated. The plan for the gardens, commissioned from Louis Cottin, a landscape gardener in Nevers, in 1882, attests to the scale of the work envisaged (moats filled in, drawbridge removed). The château and gardens have recently undergone careful restoration.