In the heart of the Touraine Loire Valley and of the chateaux of the Loire, in the south of Tours, Loches and the Cité Royale will enjoys you by the wealth of heritage, its landscapes, many leisure at discover all the year.
Do not miss to visit the medieval city in the middle of the Loire Valley. The keep of the castle of Loches was built in the early 11th century by Foulques Nerra it is considered as one of the most imposing building of the Norman period.
The Logis Royal was one of the earliest royal castles in the Loire Valley, Agnes Sorel, Jeanne d'Arc or Anne de Bretagne have stayed. Between the keep of the castle and the Logis Royal is the collegiate church of Saint-Ours is presented where the tomb of Agnes Sorel. The lower city, the Hotel de Ville, the Tour Saint-Antoine, the Chancellery of the French Renaissance.
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The Donjon : The keep of the castle of Loches of thirty-six metres high, was built in the early 11th century by Foulques Nerra. It was as one of the most imposing building in Europe. It was later converted into a prison.
Porte des Cordeliers – 02 47 91 62 07 - The Royal Apartments : Very important place for the history of France, it was a favorite residence of the Valois dynasty - 02.47.59.01.32 - www.chateau-loches.fr
- Church of Saint-Ours : Covered by two pyramid-shaped domes unique in Europe and carved polychrome doorway. It contains the tomb of Agnès Sorel, Charles VII’s official mistress.
- Lansyer House : Home of Emmanuel Lansyer, landscape artist of the 19th century. Presentation of a hundred paintings, drawings, but also a collection of Japanese prints - 02.47.59.05.45.
- Little tourist train
- Carriage rides
- Walking on a Segway
- La Drôle de visite : Strolling musicians and performers animate the streets and the Logis Royal
- More informations at the tourism office of Loches - 02.47.91.82.82
- ORIGIN OF NAME LOCHES AND LUCCOTEL
- History of Loches seems to go back to antiquity wheret he place was called Castrum Loca (Camp Marsh), which explain the name of Loches. The original name was Lucca (name mentioned by Gregory of Tours), Lucas or Loccae, probably of Gallic origin. "City of Art and History" shaped acropolis, Loches walls had three belts and keep the aspect of what was once a formidable fortress. The city center is dominated by a powerful citadel-fortress, including a medieval 10th-13th centuries places with a high square tower 32 m high, a church and castle at its northern end, including the Royal House of Valois, a powerful and fortified gateway, also called Porte Royale.
Loches semble remonter à l'antiquité où le lieu s'appelait Castrum Locae (Camp des marais), ce qui expliquerait le nom de Loches. Le nom originel était Lucca (nom cité par Grégoire de Tours), Lucas ou Loccae, probablement d'origine gauloise. «Ville d'art et d'histoire» en forme d'acropole, Loches eut trois ceintures de remparts et conserve l'aspect de ce qui fut une redoutable place forte. Le centre-ville est dominé par une puissante forteresse-citadelle, incluant toute une cité médiévale des 10e-13e s. avec des places, un haut donjon carré de 32 m de haut, une église et le château à son extrémité nord, dont le Logis royal des Valois, et une puissante porte d'accès fortifiée dite aussi porte Royale.
