Loches: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 39 - 128 Pierre & Vacances Le Moulin des Cordeliers
 Ideally set on the banks of the Indre river, in the heart of an extraordinary medieval town and facing the Logis Royal, the residence is made up of fo… MoreEUR 130 - 375 Manoir De La Rousselliere
 Located in the Loche, this manor offers bed and breakfast accommodation in the Loire Valley region. It features a large outdoor swimming pool and free… MoreEUR 53 - 75 Luccotel
 Located in a landscaped park, this Logis Luccotel overlooks Loches town centre in the Loire Valley. It features a heated indoor swimming pool, tennis … MoreEUR 50 - 90 Logis Hôtel De France
 The Hôtel de France is located in the heart of Loches and 150 meters from the medieval city, between Place de Verdun and Place de la Marne.
Hotel de… MoreEUR 48 - 130 Inter Hotel George Sand
 In the restaurant of this hotel, set in a charming 15th century building, you can savour mouthwatering gourmet cuisine alongside the river.
The hotel… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loches: Guide
Loches is a town and commune in France|commune in France, capital of an arrondissement in France|arrondissement in the département in France|département of Indre-et-Loire, 29 miles southeast of Tours by railway, on the left bank of the Indre River.
History
Loches (the Roman Leucae) grew up around a monastery founded about 500 by St. Ours and belonged to the Counts of Anjou from 886 until 1205. In the latter year it was seized from King John of England by Philip II of France|Philip Augustus, and from the middle of the 13th century until after the time of Charles IX of France the castle was a residence of the kings of France.
Sights
The town, one of the most picturesque in central France, lies at the foot of the rocky eminence on which stands the Château de Loches, the castle of the Anjou family, surrounded by an outer wall 13 ft./4 m. in circumference, and consisting of the old collegiate church of St. Ours, the royal lodge and the donjon.
The church of St. Ours dates from the 10th century to the 12th century; among its distinguishing features are the huge stone pyramids surmounting the nave and the beautiful carving of the west door.
The royal lodge, built by Charles VII of France and used as the subprefecture, contains the tomb of Agnès Sorel and the oratory of Anne of Brittany. It was here on 11 May 1429 that Joan of Arc arrived, fresh from her historic victory at Orleans, to meet the king.
The donjon includes, besides the ruined keep (12th century), the Martelet, celebrated as the prison of Lodovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, who died there in 1508, and the Tour Ronde, built by Louis XI of France and containing the famous iron cages in which state prisoners, including according to a story now discredited, the inventor Cardinal Balue, were confined.
Loches has an hôtel-de-ville and several houses of the Renaissance period.
On the right stream bed|bank of the Loire, opposite the town and practically its suburb, is the village of Beaulieu-lès-Loches, once the seat of a barony.
Economy
Liquor, distilling and tanning are carried on together with trade in I arm produce, wine, wood and livestock.
Miscellaneous
Loches has a tribunal of first instance, a communal college and a training college.
Births
Loches was the birthplace of:
Loches is twinned with Wermelskirchen, Germany.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Loches". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863), poet, playwright, and novelist
Jacques Villeret (1951-2005), actorTwinning
External link and reference