Château de Nevers

The building known as the Château de Nevers is more correctly the Palais ducal, the palace of the dukes of Nevers, and it stands in the upper part of the town beside the cathedral, looking toward the Loire. It was begun in the fifteenth century by the counts of Nevers, and it was extended in the sixteenth century, so it is one of the early Renaissance-style residences in the Loire valley, with the mixture of late Gothic and Italian ideas that marked the period. In the later sixteenth century the dukedom passed to a branch of the Gonzaga family from Mantua, and the palace was the seat of their power in the Nivernais.

The front is a broad, pale ochre façade flanked by round and polygonal towers with steep roofs, with large mullioned windows that look out over the square. Its most famous feature is a stair tower in the centre, which contains a spiral staircase with finely worked wooden carvings, and the polygonal form of the towers gives the building an elegant, slightly fairy-tale look. The mix of regular windows and tall roofs is typical of the period of transition between medieval fortress and country palace, and the building is more of an urban residence than a defensive castle.

The palace is a working building as well as a monument. Parts of it are used by city services, and the tourist office is housed inside, which makes it easy to combine a visit with a plan for the rest of the stay. Several rooms are open to visitors, including halls used for receptions and spaces where temporary exhibitions are held. In the lower levels, the old dungeons have been converted into a museum space about the history and traditions of the town, which is a good short introduction to Nevers. Opening times and access vary, so it is a good idea to ask at the tourist office or contact the palace for current information on exhibitions and visits.

The setting gives good views of the surrounding streets and the river. The terrace near the palace looks over the roofs of the town toward the Loire, where the long bridge and the green banks form a calm landscape. Nevers is also a town of ceramics, with a long tradition of faience, and a pilgrim place linked to the life of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, who spent her last years here.

The palace is within walking distance of the Cathédrale and of the Musée Magnin, and it is close to the Quartier des Tanneurs and the Quai de la Loire. The Église Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens, the Église Saint-Antoine and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nevers are all in the centre. The visit takes less than an hour and suits those interested in Renaissance architecture and the history of Burgundy and the Loire.