AN AFTERNOON IN LOCHES
On the terrace, waiting the beginning of the visit
In XVème century,Agnes Sorel, the "Dame de Beauté", Charles VII's favorite , comes to live in Loches.
It is among the young ladies of honor of the Queen that the King distinguished, he will remain always enthusiast about her. Couples rather badly matched Agnès whom charm, King of poor mine. Favorite, the "piteous one towards all people", will have a great action on Charles VII. Her councils will be often happy, but her taste of the ostentation, which a great benevolence corrects, will weigh heavily on thin finances of the kingdom.
To be buried in the collegial one, Agnès Sorel filled generosities the Chapter. After its death, the canons opinion themselves that the presence, in holy place, of a notorious pecheress misses construction, They ask to Louis XI that one transport the remainders to the castle. The old fox accepts, but in the condition that the donations follow the same way. The scruples of the religious assembly fly away.
We leave the car in the parking lot at the foot of the castle. You have to take this small alley to get there
The ancient drawbridge
The Royal Apartments are a significant example of the French Renaissance. The façade opening onto the terrace dominates the historic city and the Indre Valley.
The entrance of the Royal Apartments
On the terrace, waiting the beginning of the visit
In XVème century,Agnes Sorel, the "Dame de Beauté", Charles VII's favorite , comes to live in Loches.
It is among the young ladies of honor of the Queen that the King distinguished, he will remain always enthusiast about her. Couples rather badly matched Agnès whom charm, King of poor mine. Favorite, the "piteous one towards all people", will have a great action on Charles VII. Her councils will be often happy, but her taste of the ostentation, which a great benevolence corrects, will weigh heavily on thin finances of the kingdom.
To be buried in the collegial one, Agnès Sorel filled generosities the Chapter. After its death, the canons opinion themselves that the presence, in holy place, of a notorious pecheress misses construction, They ask to Louis XI that one transport the remainders to the castle. The old fox accepts, but in the condition that the donations follow the same way. The scruples of the religious assembly fly away.
 |
| Charles VII |
 |
| Agnes Sorel |
 |
| Anne de Bretagne |
 |
| Louis XII |
The guide helps Bohemond to put on a knight's helmet
a spiral staircase
A cannon
The keep of the castle of Loches was built in the early 11th century by Foulques Nerra (the Black). 36 meters high, it is considered as one of he most imposing building of the Norman period. It was the first military construction to be built in stone, and not in wood as it was usual at this time.
Fine example of military architecture, it was later converted into a prison. One of itsmost famous political inmates was Ludovic Sforza, doke of Milan who died within minutes of his release of the dungeon of Loches, in May 17th , 1508
 |
| Ludovic Sforza |
When Henri II Plantagenet, the Lord of Anjou, goes up on the throne of England, the castle belong to the king og England. Henri II still develops the ramparts and the defenses of the castle. After the death of Henri II, while Richard Lion Heart, on his return of the Crusage, is retained prisoner in Austria, Philippe-Auguste intrigues with Jean Sans Terre (Sans Terre means without ground), Richard's brother. Jean Sans Terre gives the castle tot the French King.
As soon as Richard Lion Heart is released, he removes by surprised in three hours the castle of Loches. This military operation, almost magic, defrayed the chronicles a long time! Ten years after, in 1205, Philippe Auguste takes is revenge, but with less brilliance: the seat lasts one year. Loches is from now on prison of State and the kings endeavour to make it impregnable.
Loches did not leave any more the crown of France. The city and its caslte remainde with the hands of Valois, and that even at the darkest hours of the One Hundred Year Old War. The Dolphin Charles (future Charles VII) did of it one of hos residences preferred with Chinon.
The keep and the first rampart
In the medieval garden
Loches appears in the history in the middle of the 5th century. In 742, the Mayors of the Palate, Carloman and Pépin (future king of the Franks from 751 to 768 and knew under the name of Pépin the Brief) fought battle against Humbold, Duke of Aquitanian and seized the "castrum" (castle) of Loches.
The ceaseless quarrels which opposed the counts of Blois to the counts of Anjou from the very start of Xth century, were at the origin of the fortifications of the castle of Loches which played from now on a dominating part in this fight of being able. The Baron Foulques III Nerra (987-1040) made build between the 1013 and 1035 enormous quadrangular keep always visible nowadays. This keep formed part of a network of fortifications encircling the town of Tours, object of all his covetousnesses.
A fortified gate overlooking the moat
Samantha and a knight !
An other medieval garden
a garden of medicinal plants
The cages that Louis XI was fond of for his prisoners. They were made of covered an iron wood lattice. Most comfortable measured 2 meters on all the faces. It seems however that the cages served especially during the night, or for the transport of the prisoners.
These cages were destroyed in 1790 by the inhabitants of Loches.
Inside the keep
the scale model of the keep
A cannon "couleuvrine"
Saint-Ours church
Terrace where we admire the beautiful sight on Loches and the valley of Indre
The ancient rampart
Il est tard quand nous aurons fini tournée theguided. Tout le monde a très chaud, et pour que chacun trouve son sourire, nous buvons une boisson rafraîchissante dans un petit salon de thé au pied du château!
Then we return to the Martinolière, 35 km away.
