Loches is a small town on the south bank of the Indre; its military past is most evident in the old town, which is huddled on the slopes of a bluff above the river and still resembles a medieval fortified town, with two of its original three defensive walls remarkably well preserved. From the entrance to the public gardens, there is a pretty view of the church of St-Ours, the imposing castle, and in the foreground the houses lining the banks of the River Indre.

La Touraine Romantique: La Porte Picois in Loches >>>

Loches is built on a natural strongpoint which has been occupied since at least the 6th century when Gregory of Tours made reference to a fortress commanding a monastery and a small town. From the 1Oth to the 13th century Loches was under the sway of the counts of Anjou who altered the fortress by building a residential palace and a moated keep at the tip of the promontory.

Henri II (Plantagenêt) of England reinforced the defences. On his death in 1189 his son Richard I the Lionheart took possession of the land before leaving on Crusade with Philippe-Auguste. In the Holy Land Philippe-Auguste, an artful schemer, abandoned Richard and hurried back to France (1191) where he plotted with John Lackland, Richard's brother, who agreed to give up the fortress (1193).

When Richard was finally ransomed - he had been held captive in Austria - he hastened to Loches and seized the castle in less than three hours (1194), an exploit which was celebrated in all the chronicles of the day. When Richard died, Philippe-Auguste recaptured the castle by way of revenge but much less impressively: the siege lasted a whole year (1205). Loches was given to Dreu V de Mello, son of the victorious besiegers' leader, and repurchased by Louis IX in 1249.

Loches took on the role of royal residence for a succession of monarchs. In 1429, after her victory at Orléans, <<< Joan of Arc rejoined Charles VII at Loches and insisted that he should set out for Reims.

Porte Royale >>>, 11th century: the Royal Gate had powerful defences; it was flanked by two towers in the 13th century: the machicolations and the slots for the drawbridge chains are still visible.

Go through the gateway, turn left into Rue Lansyer to reach the museum 'Musée Lansyer'. A visit to this house (restorated) offers glimpses inside the Porte Royale. A typical Touraine interior (19th century) has been set up in the old guard-room. Note the collection of paintings by the landscape artist Maurice-Etienne Lansyer (1835-93), a pupil of the great Courbet.

<<< Église St-Ours >>>: in 1802 the old collegiate church of Notre-Dame became the parish church dedicated to St Ours, a local apostle in the 5th century. Its most characteristic features are the two octagonal pyramids between its towers: of the type commonly used for belfries, kitchens or lavabos in monasteries. Here they form the vaulting of the nave and with the eight-sided dome surmounting the transept crossing, they evoke the silhouette of Aquitaine cupolas. The Angevin porch shelters a Romanesque doorway, richly decorated with unusual carved animals: the upper part (badly damaged) represents the Virgin Mary and the Three Wise Men. A holy water stoup has been hollowed out in a Gallo-Roman column.

The famous pyramid vaulting in the nave was built by Prior T. Pactius in the 12th century. The transept, which was designed for a chapter of 12 canons, opens into the aisles (12C, 14C and 15C).

Walk round the outside of the ramparts and the old town, turn left on coming out of the Martelet. This walk (45 minutes) reveals that the medieval town was in fact an entrenched camp, complete with all its own defences. The perimeter wall is more than 1 km (0.6 mile) long and is pierced by only two gateways.

The Donjon and the Tower Louis XI >>>

Note first the three spur towers built in the 13th century in front of the keep, then walk along the dry moat to Rue Quintefol before coming up onto the ramparts, from where there is a good view of the chevet of the Church of St-Ours. This section within the second perimeter wall follows Rue St-Ours past old houses built of tufa.

On emerging from the perimeter wall take one of the narrow pedestrian streets opposite which leads to the late 15th century Porte des Cordeliers; this and the Porte Picois are the only two remaining gates of the town's original four. It was the main gate of the city on the road to Spain. Go through the gate to see its riverside façade lined with machicolations and flanked by bartizans.

Head north to the 16th century Tour St Antolne, one of the rare belfries to be found in central France; then on to the 15th century Porte Picois, also with machicolations. This tower stands next to the Hôtel de ville (town hall), an elegant Renaissance building with balconies bright with flowers in season. Continue to the Chancellerie, dating from the Henri II period (mid 16th century), embellished with fluted columns, pilasters and wrought-iron balconies.

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