Loches
・Dungeon nestled in a fortress city
・Medieval townscape of castle town
【City description】
It’s a town near Andre river. To enter the center street, there are gates like medieval citadel. Joan of Arc stayed in the Royal Residence and we can find her plate at the Royal Gate. In addition, we can visit a donjon.
【Overall rating】
★★★☆☆
【Time required】
4h30
【Budget】
12.50 euros
【Fatigue】
★★★☆☆
【Map and access to the Loire region】
①Orléans: The town where Joan of Arc was active
②Chambord: The largest castle in the Loire
③Blois: A rare castle that incorporates various architectural styles
④Beauregard: A castle with portraits and lapis lazuli
⑤Cheverny: A homely castle
⑥Chaumont-sur-Loire: A castle that hosts the International Garden Festival
⑦Amboise: The town where Da Vinci spent his later years
⑧Chenonceau: A castle run by a female lord that spans the river
⑨Loches: A town where beautiful women lived
⑩Tours: A base town for travel in this region
⑪Langeais: A town with the oldest remaining fortress in France
⑫Azay-le-Rideau: A beautiful castle that stands out on the water
⑬Chinon: The town of Joan of Arc and wine
⑭Saumur: A castle on a hill and a tow
Loches can be reached by train in about an hour from Tours.
Check here for area information around Loches ! !
【Contents】
★=Must-see spots
◎=Recommended spots
Itinerary Map
Navigation
【Start】①Loches Station
★Go to Gare Avenue as far as a roundabout. It takes 5 minutes.
②Tourist Information Center★Go to Marne Square and enter the center street by Agnés Sorel St. Then, turn right at the first crossroad. It takes 10 minutes.
③Picois Gate★Go up the street and turn right at the end. It takes 5 minutes.
④Chancellery★Continue to go up Château St for 5 minutes.
⑤Royal Gate★Enter the gate and turn left immediately.
⑥Lansyer Museum★Continue to walk on the street.
⑦Collegial St-Ours★Go to the ticket office beside the church.
⑧Royal Residence★Go to Thomas Pactius St beside the church for 10 minutes.
⑨Donjon of Loches★Leave the citadel by the Royal Gate and go down Château St by the dead end. It takes 15 minutes.
⑩Gate of Cordeliers★Go through the gate and pass a bridge. Then, turn right.
⑪Public Garden★Go back to Gate of Cordeliers and turn right to return to the station. It takes 10 minutes.
【Goal】Loches Station
・If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information.
・You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).
【Start】
①Loches Station
Gare de Loches
★Go to Gare Avenue as far as a roundabout. It takes 5 minutes.
②Tourist Information Center
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Get maps and other information here.
★Go to Marne Square and enter the center street by Agnés Sorel St. Then, turn right at the first crossroad. It takes 10 minutes.
③Picois Gate
Porte Picois
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
It is a particularly tall gate with a pointed blue roof. It is located next to the city hall and also serves as a clock tower.
★Go up the street and turn right at the end. It takes 5 minutes.
④Chancellery
Chancellerie
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This former embassy office with a Renaissance-style exterior is now used as the town’s museum. Some of the five rooms are decorated, and you can see the history of this town and special exhibitions.
★Continue to go up Château St for 5 minutes.
⑤Royal Gate
Porte Royale
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Enter the fort from here at the gate on the outskirts of the city center. To the left of the gate you can see the stone monument of Joan of Arc. It is written that in 1429 Joan of Arc advised Charles VII to be coronated at Reims.
★Enter the gate and turn left immediately.
⑥Lansyer Museum◎
Maison-Musée Lansyer
Time required: 40 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 10 am – 12h30 pm / 2 pm – 5h45 pm from May to September
Close: other days
This is a museum where you can see the works of painter Emmanuel Lansyer, who fell asleep in this area. You can see his specialty landscape paintings and self-portraits in the interior of the mansion, and his favorite Japanese armor is also on display.
★Continue to walk on the street.
⑦Collegial St-Ours◎
Collégiale St-Ours
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm
Close: No
This is a Romanesque church built in the 10th century. It is distinctive in that it has two pyramid-shaped roofs. The interior is simple, but in one corner is the tomb of Agnès Sorel, who was said to be an unparalleled beauty.
★Go to the ticket office beside the church.
⑧Royal Residence★
Logis Royal
Time required: 45 min
Admission fee: 12.50 euros
(included ⑨)
Opening hour: 9h30 am – 6 pm
(until 7 pm from March to August, until 5 pm from October to February)
Close: 1/1, 12/25
This is the castle where Agnès Sorel lived. Inside, you can learn about her life through exhibits and explanations. Joan of Arc also lived here. The garden overlooks the town.
★Go to Thomas Pactius St beside the church for 10 minutes.
⑨Donjon of Loches◎
Donjon de Loches
Time required: 60 min
Admission fee: 12.50 euros
(included ⑧)
Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm
(until 7 pm from March to August, until 5 pm from October to February)
Close: 1/1, 12/25
The castle tower of this fortress is built like a fortress both on the outside and inside. If you climb the stairs inside the tower, you can see the castle’s former model, camp, and murals. You can see the town from the top, and you can also take a stroll through the gardens on the grounds.
★Leave the citadel by the Royal Gate and go down Château St by the dead end. It takes 15 minutes.
⑩Gate of Cordeliers
Porte des Cordeliers
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is the gate that leads to the outside of town.
★Go through the gate and pass a bridge. Then, turn right.
⑪Public Garden★
Loches Jardin Public
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is a park on the outskirts of town, and you can see the whole of Roches Castle from below.
★Go back to Gate of Cordeliers and turn right to return to the station. It takes 10 minutes.
【Goal】
Loches Station
Other cities recommended in Loire
Information about France
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