Loches

French commune|nomcommune=Loches
région=Centre
département=Indre-et-Loire
arrondissement=Loches
canton=Loches
insee=37132
cp=37600
maire=Jean-Jacques Décamps
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Loches Développement
longitude=0.996111111111
latitude=47.1291666667
alt moy=
alt mini=64 m
alt maxi=147 m
hectares=2,706
km²=27.06
sans=6,328
date-sans=1999
dens=234
date-dens=1999

Loches is a town and commune in France, capital of an arrondissement in the "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 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.

ights

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 once 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 bank of the Indre, 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:
* Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863), poet, playwright, and novelist
* Jacques Villeret (1951-2005), actor

Twinning

Loches is twinned with Wermelskirchen, Germany and St Andrews, Scotland.

External links and reference

* [http://www.loches-tourainecotesud.com/ Tourism office website]
* [http://www.lochorama.com/ Tour virtuel interactif de Loches/VR Tour of Loches]
*