The Dank Dungeon of Castle Loches in the Loire Valley
Jul 23 '01 (Updated Sep 16 '04)
The Bottom Line The rather forbidding-looking Loches, with its dungeon and torture chamber, is a different type of castle to visit while in the Loire Valley.
When planning our itinerary for our recent trip to the Loire Valley, I wanted to find a castle that would provide a sharp contrast to the incredibly beautiful and romantic chateaux of the region that I knew we would be visiting. We were in the area around the city of Tours, about one hundred and fifty miles southwest of Paris, known as the Touraine region. I was searching for a formidable, military- looking castle that would show an entirely different side to French history. I was delighted when I first read about the castle at Loches, since it definitely sounded like just what I had in mind.
The Dungeon of Loches, is just a thirty minute ride south of the famous, often visited, and achingly romantic Chateau Chenonceau . But this off-the-beaten track castle, is so different in history and appearance, that it could have been in another country!
We were there on a rather grey, drizzly day, which only added to the feeling of fearful military might which must have reached out from this intimidating citadel many hundreds of years ago. Its dank passageways and underground prison cells gave a very menacing feel to the entire experience.
Built around a monastery founded in the fifth century by St. Ours, the fortress of Loches passed into the hands of the counts of Anjou at the end of the ninth century. They undertook the construction of the keep. It was the center of much fighting between the French and English kings for the next few centuries. In 1193, Jean sans Terre, known to most as King John, of Robin Hood fame, yielded his seat to Philippe Auguste. But the following year, Richard the Lionhearted won it after a siege of only three hours! In 1205, Philippe Auguste won back the fortress after a year- long siege. Since that date, the castle and its surrounding town have remained in the hands of the French crown and was administered and run by the Royal governors.
The keep served as a plain military fortress until the middle of the fifteenth century, when it was converted to a military prison by Louis XI. It remained so until 1801, when it became a departmental prison. This usage ensured the continued upkeep of the buildings. It was finally abandoned by the French prison service in 1926.
The Dungeon is the first area we explored. Built on a quadrangular plan, it is thirty-six meters high, and is considered to be one of the most impressive keeps of the Norman period. Its very thick walls taper as it extends upward. The roof and floors have all but disappeared in some areas, but on the west wall ,one can see the remains of three fireplaces. The ground floor was used as a store and armory. A well, to supply water, can still be seen in the corner. Taking the stone stairway, we visited the site of the Grand Hall, a state reception room where the Lord of the fortress would render his judgement. Here there is another smaller stairway to the next floor, where the counselors and family would be assembled. To preserve a semblance of intimacy, it was at one time divided by tapestries. From this floor, there was access to the chapel.
From yet another stairway, we arrived at the third floor. This was probably used as private quarters in times of peace, but the garrison took possession of this area during wartime. From here, there is access to a sort of balcony allowing surveillance of the surrounding countryside and protection of the immediate approaches to the keep. A final stairway leads to the summits, where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the surrounding town and fields. Unfortunately, the day we were there, it was very cold and windy (or so it seemed to us Floridians), so we couldn’t stay up there for more than a few moments!
The most interesting part of the visit was the actual dungeon and torture chamber. One unfortunate individual , Cardinal Balue, was found guilty of treason against Louis XI, and was held in an iron cage for three years. Within these walls, the accused fell victim to every sort of torture known at the time, in order to secure a confession. French law recognized the “preparatory questioning”and “preliminary questioning”.The former could be used if, during the trial, the accused denied his crime or offense. The latter could be inflicted upon the convict prior to his execution, to make him confess the names of his accomplices. Today, only an iron bar with rings which were attached to the prisoner remains within the chamber.
There is also a rather creepy reconstitution of a cell, with two prisoners, engrossed in meditation, which can be seen through the heavy metal grating of a door. The close company of two rats do not seem to disturb them!
The fortress walls in three rooms are impregnated with ancient grafitti, numerous testimonies, left by the prisoners and soldiers over the course of centuries. We were told they cover the preoccupations of the times, with subjects as varied as war, life, death, and religion. But since we don’t read French, we had to take the word of the guides on the actual subjects.
I heartily recommend this half-day visit to anyone touring the Loire Valley. It is a change of pace and mood for anyone who might be getting slightly “chateauxed out” after a few days in this extraordinary region. It also had the smallest crowds, in fact, we almost had the place to ourselves.
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