Women artists receive the attention of the Journée du Matrimoine at Les Bains-Douches in Lignières. An exhibition shares the programme with an unusual literary tour, readings and improvised theatre. Conceived as a counterpart to the Journées du Patrimoine, the gathering uses these different forms to give women’s creative contributions a more visible place in cultural memory.
Topic: events
White Embroidery: Stitches and Touraine Lace
White embroidery reveals its precision in demonstrations by Sylvie Lezziero. A separate practical workshop introduces either a whitework motif with plumetis, sand and straight cordonnet stitches, or a Touraine motif incorporating Valenciennes lace. The small-group format connects close observation with needlework, making the techniques behind the delicate surface visible and teachable.
Gallo-Roman Magic: The Mystery of Well 512
Three finds from well 512 at Châteaumeillant pose an archaeological puzzle: a horse-shaped firedog, a broken Gallic statue and a human skull. The exhibition on Gallo-Roman magic asks why these objects ended up together underground. Their unusual association invites an investigation into actions and beliefs in the ancient settlement, without treating the mystery as already solved.
Beaugency’s Medieval Castrum: Tower, Court and Abbey
Beaugency’s medieval centre comes into view through the former castle square, the Tour César and Notre-Dame abbey church. An audio guide and mediator explain how these elements belong to the old castrum. Access to the château courtyard and the tower’s interior complements the abbey encounter, linking fortified, civic and religious spaces within one route.
Les Grands Feux: La Borne’s Wood-Fired Ceramics
Wood-fired kilns set the pace of Les Grands Feux in La Borne, with loading, firing and unloading carried out in public. Ceramicists from many places exchange working knowledge around the furnaces. Studio visits, exhibitions and practical workshops extend the programme from utilitarian pots to sculpture, revealing the range of practices sustained by this pottery village.
Sainte Marie-Madeleine: A Church’s History in Puisaye
Sainte Marie-Madeleine opens a route into Dammarie-en-Puisaye’s religious heritage through an accompanied visit. Guides examine the church’s architecture and recount events that have shaped its history. The free opening combines observation of the building with historical anecdotes, offering context for a parish landmark and its place in village memory.
Val de Sully: Photography and the Art of Building
Photographer Thierry Cantalupo explains how images serve the region’s heritage inventory in a Val de Sully architecture programme. Exhibitions connect that documentary work with the materials used to build in Centre-Val de Loire. A visit to Saint Germain church and an architectural walk in Sully-sur-Loire carry the subject outdoors, linking recording methods with buildings encountered directly.
Athée-sur-Cher Under Occupation: A Storytelling Walk
Stories of Athée-sur-Cher accompany a walk from Nitray towards Chandon, centred on the village under occupation. Histoire et Mémoire de la Vallée du Cher introduces figures who left their mark on local life. Open to children aged eight and over, the narrated outing connects familiar places with the village’s past through accounts heard along the way.
Montpoupon: Furnished Rooms and Equestrian Heritage
Kitchens, a dining room and private apartments reveal different sides of domestic life at the fully furnished Château de Montpoupon. The self-guided route moves between working rooms and more intimate living spaces. A museum explores the family’s attachment to horses and riding, while a woodland walk extends the visit into the surrounding estate.