Wandering around Loches Centre-Loire Valley France giving a flavour of this wonderful medieval town.

We visited Loches in Centre Val-de-Loire in September 2022. It's a wonderful medieval riverside town with so much to see and enjoy that it is amongst our favorite towns in the Loire region. It nestles in the department of Indre-et-Loire, southeast of Tours, resting on the banks of the Indre River. Loches is a town steeped in history, that still retains its authenticity, one of the best-preserved in France. Guidebooks actually have it 'listed' as a town of 'Art & History' as well as recommended detour (plus beau detour). Its narrow, traffic free streets in the old town could be the same ways travelled by the kings, queens and heroines of its medieval past.


On arriving in the town of Loches there is an immediate air of vitality and there are several monuments of interest to see. The citadel of Loches is still surrounded by two kilometres of 12th century ramparts and contains an old town which is full of interesting monuments, and the lower town with its renaissance period buildings. The citadel is entered through the Porte Royale, an imposing stone entrance through the city walls with round towers to each side. The northern end of the citadel of Loches houses the lovely Logis Royal, the Royal Lodgings’ of Charles VII. It was here that Joan of Arc came to persuade Charles to go to Reims to be crowned King of France. The tomb of Agnes Sorrel is in a wing of the palace and there is a portrait of her in the room as well as a portrait of the Virgin in her likeness. Agnes was renowned for setting a trend of semi-nudity in the Court of Charles VII.


The donjon(keep) that dominates the citadel is approached by a long alley planted on both sides with trees and bushes, giving a charming approach to a destination with a grim history. From the top of the donjon there are lovely views across the town. Built in the 10th century and one of the oldest donjons in France, it was used acted as a prison in Loches as recently as 1926. Inside the donjon you can see a reconstitution of the wood and iron cage which imprisoned Cardinal La Balue for 11 years! The 15th century torture chamber was largely destroyed in the Revolution but the guides fill in the gory details. You can walk around the citadel but there is a charge (around 9 euros) to enter the Royal Logis and the Donjon. While here you can also enjoy a stroll around the medieval garden.


The Renaissance Collegiale Saint Ours whose spires dominate many views of Loches contains a recumbent statue of Agnes Sorrel the official mistress of King Charles VII. She was the ‘official’ mistress because even the pope admired her and she therefore became the first officially recognised mistress of a king. The entrance porch of the church is carved in great detail with images of weird beasts. You can finish your tour of the citadel with a walk around the ramparts which gives lovely views across Loches.


Highlights in the lower town include the Tour Saint-Antoine, an excellent example of Renaissance architecture built in 1534 that is 52 metres high. Other impressive renaissance monuments include the nearby Town Hall and the Hotel Nau, a 16th century building with 3 storeys of Italian Renaissance loggias.


The ‘Maison du peintre Emmanuel Lansyer’ is a lovely house and contains over 100 of his paintings as well as works by Gustave Doré, Hugo and Corot, and sketches by Delacroix. There is also a collection of Japanese Art. You can even relax in the garden which has been reproduced according to a painting of the time. Lansyer is considered as one of the best landscape painters of his time.


Not to be missed while you are around Loches is the pretty village of Beaulieu-les-Loches, just across the Loire River, and the village at Montresor, a few kilometres to the east, is one of the prettiest villages in the region, both are featured as "Wandering around" videos.

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