Bourges Travel Guide

  Cathédrale Saint-Étienne - mi's
by black_mimi99
 
  • Cathédrale Saint-Étienne - mi's
      Cathédrale Saint-Étienne - mi's
    by black_mimi99
  • menetou salon church
      menetou salon church
    by black_mimi99
  • mi's
      mi's
    by black_mimi99
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  • Street Scene in Bourges
      Street Scene in Bourges
    by hquittner
 

Pro

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 A Full Day or More 


Con

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 provincial town, boring on Sundays, little night life 


In a nutshell

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 a typical French charming provincial town in the "France profonde" 

 

Explore Bourges

Things to Do  

Meet a Gargoyle

Meet a Gargoyle, Bourges

 Beausoleil Says:  Gargoyles are cute and they get great press but they are there for a purpose. We were visiting St. Etienne in Bourges one dark gloomy day and suddenly it sounded as though a river was running past the church. There is no river beside the church so all of us headed to the... 

Visit the Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visit the Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bourges

 Beausoleil Says:  St. Etienne is one of the outstanding cathedrals in Europe. One of the interesting things to me was that the cathedral does not dominate the Bourges skyline the way Chartres does. We drove into town and were trying to navigate the narrow streets when I looked down one tiny... 

Eglise St. Pierre is worth a visit too.

Eglise St. Pierre is worth a visit too., Bourges

 Beausoleil Says:  We were following P signs to find public parking and ended up parked beside Eglise St. Pierre. One goes to Bourges to visit St. Etienne but St. Pierre is also worth a visit. It is on the Route de Compostela and well cared for. There are lovely stained glass windows and some... 

Study the West Facade Central Portal

Study the West Facade Central Portal, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  The tympanum of the central door of the West front is a 13C masterpiece, featuring the Last Judgement. The lowest level (the lintel) depicts the dead rising from their coffins. Above them St. Michael is weighing the souls and dividing them as saved or damned to his right and... 

The Cathedral Chapels Have Old Stained Glass

The Cathedral Chapels Have Old Stained Glass, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  There are 5 apsidial chapels (the central one is the Lady Chapel). All have stained glass of the 1215-25 period with blue and red colors predominating. Unfortunately we no longer can identify the religious scenes portrayed. Each window (as at Chartres) is embedded in a... 

Walk the Town

Walk the Town, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  In walking the town , there are many old buildings. We walked past the 15 C church of St.-Pierre -le-Guillard and the timbered Tithe Barn next to the cathedral. In that area there was an Archbishop’s Palace (17C) with a garden behind it said to be laid out by Le Notre. 

Enter the Private Chapel

Enter the Private Chapel, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  The private chapel is approached through a gallery with an inverted ship-keel wooden ceiling. The chapel doorways are accoladed and the vaulted ceiling is painted with Angels carrying swirling scrolls. The ceiling ribs descend to finely sculpted corbels. 

Home Comforts of Jacques Coeur

Home Comforts of Jacques Coeur, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  Many of the rooms have finely worked mantelpieces. Instead of coats of arms or allegorical subjects, the decorations contain windows or houses with the occupants looking out (as on the palace entry). Over one doorway is an exquisite bas-relief of a large galley, the sort of... 

Details in the Great Hall

Details in the Great Hall, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  The great hall is large enough to exhibit several treasures such as the remaining pieces of the destroyed tomb of the Duc de Berry created by Jean de Cambrai after 1422. His work is fine but not as great as its prototype by Claus Sluter in Dijon for his brother. (The... 

Hotels  

All Seasons Bourges

 63 Opinions

Restaurants  

Le Grand Argentier: Fine Food (and a Place to Stay?)

Le Grand Argentier: Fine Food (and a Place to Stay?), Bourges

 hquittner Says:  Le Grand Argentier has long been considered by locals as one of the finest restaurants in Bourges and we agree. Long ago we dined there on two consecutive evenings. In those days, it also had nice bedrooms in this 15C house, to rent upstairs for the night, but I cannot find... 

Le Jardin Gourmand: One of the best restaurants in town

Le Jardin Gourmand: One of the best restaurants in town, Bourges

 Jeannette1 Says:  The restaurant is located inside an older "bourgeois" home.The menu for 30Euros is superb. There is a cheaper menu but this one is the best value for your money.The presentation is beautiful. Each plate looks like a piece of artwork. Check out the website for a list of... 

Nightlife  

Palais de Jacques Coeur: Summer Evening Concerts

Palais de Jacques Coeur: Summer Evening Concerts, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  During the summer tourist season, there is a continuous series of musical events in the evenings at Bourges. Most of these are presented outdoors in venues that have other uses during the day. The tourist office web site lists these and they can be discovered in Bourges at... 

Ehem...

Ehem..., Bourges

 M.E.R.V Says:  Ask me but in this little town, theres hardly any life after 6pm! Lol! Once the shops are shut, and the sky gets dark, the people disappear too. Hahaha!Having a stroll after dinner through the medieval streets of Bourges is just about one of the best things you can do. This... 

Transportation  

Trains
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M.E.R.V 363 reviews

There are trains departing almost every hour from Paris Austerlitz to Bourges. The train station in Paris is very user friendly, you can either get your tickets from the automachines or from the counters. Tickets are usually 35euros return on the very comfortable SNCF trains. The journey takes about 2 1/2hours normally and you might have to change trains. When you arrive in Bourges, the station is so small you wont have to worry about losing your way. The main street in town is about 20minutes walking and a map isnt really necessary.

Updated Apr 5, 2003

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Local Customs  

Life in Bourges

Life in Bourges, Bourges

 M.E.R.V Says:  The pace of life here in Bourges is really slow and people seem to take it really easy. The people here are so nice they treat you like part of their family. I hardly saw any tourists here, I thought we were the only ones who ever came here cos everyone was giving us a weird... 

If you go to a nice...

If you go to a nice..., Bourges

 Jeannette1 Says:  If you go to a nice restaurant, they will bring you the 'plateau de fromages' (cheese tray) and you will be asked to select what cheese you want. The general rule of thumb is to select no more than 3 small pieces(the waiter will cut them for you)...you just point or ask for... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Clamecy - The Old Town

Clamecy - The Old Town, Bourges

 black_mimi99 Says:  When I arrived this town at nite, its feel like we are in middle age year... all the house still in the same style, and with the cathedral in the middle.... very nice view city... and its not far from Bourges city. 

Check out the...

Check out the..., Bourges

 Jeannette1 Says:  Check out the Boulangerie/Patisserie shops in all towns and villages and you will find a wonderful assortment of pastries. Delicious...light and not as sweet as american pastries. I love them all.... 

Favorites  

Jean Duc du Berry

Jean Duc du Berry, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  Very little remains to celebrate Bourges most famous ruler. Jean, Duc du Berry, was the brother of King Charles V and was the richest and most cultured member of his family. His father Jean II (le Bon) was of similar nature. The son was exchanged as a hostage to the English... 

Jacques Coeur

Jacques Coeur, Bourges

 hquittner Says:  The statue brings up memories of the history of Jacques Coeur. He was born in Bourges (1394-1456), and was a financier and merchant who became master of the mint (Grand Argentier) under Charles V, where he unified the coinage of the country. He prospered by his development... 

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Map of Bourges