Issoudun

Issoudun is a city in the Centre-Val de Loire region of north-central France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Indre department.

Understand

Issoudun is on the Way of St. James pilgrimage. French novelist Honore de Balzac came to Issoudun several times to visit friends. He describes the city in one of his novel 'La Rabouilleuse'.

Get in

By train

Issoudun can be reached by train from Orleans (1 hour), Vierzon, Chateauroux.

See

• Saint-Cyr Church (L' eglise Saint-Cyr)
• Beffroi
• City Hall (L' hotel de ville)
• The White Tower (La Tour Blanche)
• The mirrors fountain (La Fontaine aux Miroirs). In front of the City Hall.
• The castle town (Le quartier du Chateau).Between the Beffroi, the City Hall and Saint-Jacques tower, nice medieval houses.
• La cite des metiers d'art is a renovated industrial hall, next to the train station.
• Francois-Mitterand Park (Le parc Francois Mitterand)
• Saint Roch Hospital Museum (Le musee de l'Hospice Saint Roch). Nice archeological, medieval, XVIIth century collections, the impressive Jesse Tree (5.70 meters high sculptures on the wall of one of the rooms), Africa and Oceania artifacts collections, contemporary art. Entrance is free. 
• Frapesle Manor (Le Chateau de Frapesle). The place where Balzac spent some time. It's a private manor today but the poplar trees alley to reach it is nice for a walk. 20 minutes by foot out of town.

Eat

• La Cognette, 6 boulevard Stalingrad (10 minutes by foot from the train station), ☏ +33 2 54 03 59 59, fax: +33 2 54 03 13 03, lacognette@wanadoo.fr. One Michelin Star restaurant. Menu from €30. 

Sleep

• La Cognette, 26 rue des Minimes (10 minutes by foot from the train station), ☏ +33 2 54 03 59 59, fax: +33 2 54 03 13 03, lacognette@wanadoo.fr. 13 Rooms. Nice and charming hotel, in the city center, a few minutes by foot from "La Cognette" restaurant. from €75.