Keep of Loches, Loches
Plan your visit
Walk Through Medieval Loches
9 attractions · 7h 33min · transit route
Tickets ~€12.5
Step-by-step route with transport options and cost breakdown
About Keep of Loches
The Keep of Loches is one of the oldest and best-preserved Romanesque fortified towers in Europe, built between 1013 and 1035 by Foulques Nerra (Fulk the Black), Count of Anjou. 4 metres thick at the base, the tower was constructed from local tuffeau limestone on a rocky spur overlooking the Indre river valley. The complex expanded over five centuries to include curtain walls, the Louis XI Tower, the Martelet Tower with its underground dungeons, and a governor's residence.
Keep of Loches — Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Ticket Prices
Cité Royale Entry
RecommendedCombined ticket for the Keep (Donjon) and the Royal Lodge (Logis Royal). Hours vary by season: 9:30-17:00 (Jan-Feb, Nov-Dec), 9:30-18:00 (Mar-Apr, Sep-Oct), 9:30-19:00 (May-Aug). Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Optional HistoPad VR experience available for 5€ supplement.
In day plans, the recommended ticket is pre-selected and included in the total price.
Combine with 8 nearby attractions for a full day
From €12.5 / person — all tickets and transport included — transit route with total cost breakdown
Cardinal Jean Balue, a minister of King Louis XI, was imprisoned here for approximately 11 years (1469-1480) after being caught secretly colluding with the king's enemy, Charles the Bold of Burgundy. He was held in a suspended iron cage measuring about 2 metres on each side, where prisoners could barely stand or lie down. It took intervention from Pope Sixtus IV himself to secure Balue's release.
Travel Plans for Keep of Loches
Explore a city in one day
- Step-by-step walking route through the city
- Transport options with travel times and fares
- Entrance fees and opening hours for every stop
- Total cost calculated based on your preferences
Day Routes
Walk Through Medieval Loches
Loches
Nearby Attractions
Collegiate Church of Saint-Ours
Collegiate Church of Saint-Ours