ROYAL CITY OF LOCHES

The Royal City of Loches is located in the Centre Val de Loire region. Originally it was just a stopping point in the valley of the River Indre, on the old trading route between Amboise and Poitiers. Towards the year 1000, Loches became a small medieval town. In the 10th century, constant quarrelling between the counts of Blois and Anjou were the reason for the town’s development. Geoffroi Grisegonelle, originally from Anjou, settled in Loches and had a church built here. His son, Foulques Nerra, then erected the enormous, four-sided keep that is still visible today.

ESSENTIALS

A little history

Go back in time and discover one of the most beautiful fortified towns in France. The keep, 36 meters high, was built by the Count of Anjou, Foulques Nerra, at the beginning of the 11th century. It is among the most imposing of its time, and is also one of the best preserved. It stands as an example of military architecture, and had been converted into a royal prison by Louis XI.

The Royal House nearby, a jewel of the French Renaissance with a central role in the history of France, was the residence of predilection for the Valois dynasty. Its facade, looking onto a terrace, dominates the town and the valley of the Indre. The Royal House is where Joan of Arc, Agnès Sorel, and Anne of Brittany once stayed.

HIDDEN TREASURE

Discover

From the entry gate of the keep, beyond the lookout tower, you will enter the prison world of the Middle Ages: Louis XI Tower, the Martelet Prison, the interrogation room, the graffiti room, the cells, fortifications, underground passageways…

Not far from the governor’s house is the medieval garden with its pergola, grass-covered mounds and live-willow fencing, which offer a strangely peaceful contrast to this rather oppressive environment.

In the rooms of the Royal House, beautiful Flemish tapestries, armour, and paintings are presented. Among these is the prestigious retable from Liget, the Passion of Christ, attributed to Jehan Poyet (15th century).