Loches

Built on a rocky outcrop, the fortified town of Loches is watched over by an imposing citadel, a masterpiece of medieval military architecture that a fortunate few can even call home. Visit the Logis Royal and dungeon (you can buy a ticket covering both) and the Romanesque church, all fantastic for kids who are into knights and castles. Visitors are led into the murky world of the medieval dungeon: the Louis XI tower, questioning room and confinement rooms among other spaces. One of Europe’s most imposing dungeons of its time, it’s also one of the best preserved. Not far away, the Logis Royal is a superb example of French Renaissance architecture and has played host to Joan of Arc, Agnès Sorel and Anne of Brittany, while the nearby medieval garden is a lovely place to relax.

loches