1. Amboise, town2. Château Gaillard, Amboise3. Tours, town4. Royal Château of Amboise5. Royal Château of Blois6. Château de Chenonceau7. Château de Nitray, Athée-sur-Cher8. Château d’Azay-le-Rideau9. Château de Chambord10. St. Anne's Collegiate Church, château, Ussé11. St. John the Baptist Collegiate Church, Montrésor12. Jehan de Seigné Chapel, Bléré13. Town hall, Beaugency14. Château de Villesavin, Tour-en-Sologne15. Château de l’Islette, Cheillé – Azay-le-Rideau1617. Château de Villandry18. Château de La Côte, Reugny19. Sainte-Chapelle, Champigny-sur-Veude20. Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the Grand Moûtier and the Chapter House21. Le Rivau, stables of the château, Lémeré
Loches, town
During the Hundred Years' War, the town alternated between in the hands of the French (Capets) and the English (Plantagenets), and experienced many sieges. Surrounded by massive fortifications, the royal town stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Indre River. Its two ends are marked by the ancient keep and the royal apartments, an occasional residence for the kings of France Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francis I.
The reign of the Valois brought peace and a prosperous period, allowing the town to develop. The Maison du Centaure (house of the centaur; 10, rue du Château) and its bas-reliefs with human figure motifs is from the early Renaissance, while the Chancellery (1551; 8, rue du Château) is closer to the late Renaissance of Philibert de l'Orme. The town hall with its straight flight staircase tower was built between 1535 and 1543, after written permission was received from Francis I. Saint-Antoine Tower (1527-1540 and 1575) is a late reference to the towers of the cathedral in Tours.
Outside the town towards the east stands the manor house of Louis Prévost of Sansac. Originally from Cognac like his king, a Knight of St. Michael and close friend of Francis I, he was imprisoned with the king following the Battle of Pavia in 1525. He built his home in 1529, and placed an earthenware bust of the king over his door as a symbol of his allegiance. This bust has been attributed to the Florentine workshop of the Della Robbias. Its façade, typical of the early Renaissance, is accentuated by the tower staircase, a reference to the one at Azay-le-Rideau.
A captive of Louis XII during the second Italian War, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza, a former patron of Leonardo da Vinci, was imprisoned from 1500 until his death in 1508 in the keep prison.
On 12 December 1539 the town was the scene of a significant diplomatic event: the meeting of Francis I and Emperor Charles V. The town was adorned with temporary decorations bearing the salamander and the two-headed eagle, the sovereigns' emblems. The Emperor spent the night in Sansac manor before heading to other châteaux of the Loire Valley, including Chambord.
Loches lay at the crossroads of important issues between identity and belonging, harmony and conflict. Royal legacies and the personal ambitions of sovereigns have long determined the town's history, hindering its development. During the reign of the Valois, allegiances to the French crown stabilised and construction projects reflected receptiveness to the new style of which Francis I was so fond. This allegiance was again highlighted on the occasion of Charles V's visit to the town. The meeting between these two belligerent sovereigns was a moment of peace, even if this would only be temporary. A Renaissance celebration and entertainment replaced war. But the imprisonment of another great figure, the Duke of Milan, was a bitter victory. A great patron and Renaissance follower, he nevertheless conformed to royal ambition. So while the conflict left the town an outstanding military legacy, the Renaissance allowed it to expand, develop and make its mark on the surrounding countryside.
