Having featured this mysterious church 'from a different angle' on Friday I realised I had not actually done anything on its history. Living here in Touraine one of the things I have come to accept is to 'expect the unexpected'. We first visited this site on the recommendation of the caretaker of the church at Crissay-sur-Manse who mentioned it during a 'Patrimone' visit. We headed over to the small hamlet of Les Roches Tranchelion nestling between there and the village of Avon-les-Roches. When you first catch site of the ruins of the church its scale surprises you as it sits on it high vantage point overlooking the modest hamlet.
After parking the car and taking the climb up the steep path the site that greets you is equally surprising! Here you have the vestiges of what is one of the few examples of Renaissance ecclesiastical architecture in Touraine but why here?
A little research takes you to the 'Friends of Roches Tranchelion' an association dedicated to preserving what remains of the church and keeping its history alive.
The church is here as back in 1420 Guillaume de Tranchelion, Lord of Palluau in the Indre, built a fortress here (one small tower and part of a wall remain) he also had a small chapel built on the site. This was replaced in 1524 by the fine example we see today by Lancelot de la Touch, who was, apparently the king's baker!
The castle was important enough for Charles VII and Louis XI to stay there several times from 1449 to 1461. In July 1449 the Great Council of the Kingdom was held here by King Charles VII and the definitive reconquest of French territory from the English was planned.So the site has significant heritage.
There is a great site where you can visit the site in a 3D recreation here
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