Historical heritage and sensitive natural area of Loches

Parking is available at Place de Verdun, in front of the former courthouse, which is now occupied by a luxury hotel.

(S/E) You will have a complete view of the royal city. With your back to the hotel, go around Place de Verdun on the right towards Saint-Antoine Church. Cross the crossroads and take Rue de Mazerolles, to the right of the church, until you reach the junction with Rue Balzac

(1) Follow it to the right and, after about 80 metres, turn left into the car park to climb the steps leading to the Royal City.
At the top of the stairs, go straight ahead, passing under the royal gate. After a few dozen metres, on Rue Foulques Nerra, take the stairs on the right, which lead to the Mail du Donjon.

(2) When you reach the Donjon, turn left and walk around the Jardin du Donjon clockwise.
Return to the front of the keep.

(2) Turn right onto Mail du Donjon and walk about a hundred metres, then turn right onto Rue Thomas Pactus until you reach the Collegiate Church of Saint Ours. Walk along the left-hand side until you reach the entrance.

(3) After visiting the collegiate church, return to the forecourt and continue to the right towards the Logis Royal, passing through Place Charles VII.

(4) Admire the castle and the various views it offers, then retrace your steps back to the Collegiate Church.

(3) Turn right onto Rue Lansyer, passing in front of the museum of the same name. At the end of the street, turn right, pass under the Porte Royale (which you passed on the way there), then turn right down the Grande Rue to reach the pedestrian area. Walk all the way down the Grande Rue, passing in front of the Chancellerie and the Town Hall. Pass the Place du Marché aux Légumes on your left and continue to the crossroads opposite the Passage des Cordeliers.

(5) At the bottom of Grande Rue, cross Rue des Moulins, then pass under the Porte des Cordeliers and reach the bend in Rue des Ponts. Continue straight ahead, crossing the bridge over the Indre. After about 50 metres, turn right and head for the Jardin Public.

(6) Cross it completely to reach the opposite end. Cross the footbridge over a branch of the Indre, turn immediately left, then left again, along the riverbank, to Chemin de la Prairie de la Foire, at a footbridge on the left. Note the sign on the right indicating the direction of Beaulieu-Lès-Loches.

(7) Turn right onto Chemin de la Prairie du Roy until you reach the end at the crossroads facing the Indre. Turn left to reach and admire the abbey church.

(8) Retrace your steps to the end of Chemin de la Prairie des Rois. Continue straight ahead, following the banks of the Indre river on Promenade Robert Milhouet. Ignore the first footbridge on the left and take the second one, which leads to Impasse du Pont Guenard. Continue to the stop sign at the junction with the D92.
Turn left onto Rue du Docteur Georges Patry, continue for about 250 metres, then turn right onto Rue Bazile until you reach a four-way intersection.

(9) Turn left onto Chemin des Écoliers and, just before the next intersection, cross Place des Écoles and turn left to reach Rue de Guigné. Turn left for a few metres, cross (pedestrian crossing) and turn into Rue Saint-Maurice opposite. Walk past the cemetery and turn right along Petite Rue des Crèmes. After about 200 metres, you will see a path on the left (marked GR®). Take this path, which overlooks Beaulieu. At the end of the path, turn left and walk down Rue du Puits Gibert until you reach No. 1, where Mail Saint-Pierre begins.

(10) Go around it, turning right, until you reach Rue Basse. Follow it to the right for about 150 metres until you find the path opposite No. 9, which takes you across the Prairie de l'Indre again, running alongside the ramparts of a former convent. Follow the path to the end, where it meets Rue du Docteur Martinais.

(11) Turn right onto this street and pass in front of the Château d'Armaillé. Continue straight ahead until you reach the bridge over the Indre, just before the Porte des Cordeliers. Turn right onto Quai de la Filature to reach Place de la Marne, then turn left to arrive at the foot of the Tour Saint-Antoine.

(12) Continue straight ahead on Rue de La République. Ignore the first street on the right (Rue Picois) and take the second street on the right, Rue Descartes (after crossing Place du Marché au Blé). You will arrive back at your starting point in front of the former Palais de Justice (S/E).