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Loches (the Roman Leucae) grew up around a monastery founded about 500 by St. Ours.

In the old city just have a look at the church St. Ours to discover a famous royal mistress'tomb : Agnes Sorel).

The town, one of the most picturesque in central France, lies at the foot of the rocky eminence.

It used to belong to the Counts of Anjou from 886 until 1205. In the latter year it was seized from King John of England by 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.

The construction of the fortress of Loches is attribued to Foulques Nerra and goes back to the XIth century. 36 metres high, it is considered to be one of the most impressive dungeon of the Norman period.

The Gate House, the XIVth century Governor's lodge, Louis XI tower topped with its early artillery emplacements, Cardinal Balue's dungeon, the torture chamber... together with video projections and the computer generated images all combine to give you a "first hand" experience of the medieval period.

Don't forget to discover the garden (medieval style) at the foot of the dungeon.