The climb to the Porte Royale.

Rue du Château is the street that leads visitors upwards through the historic heart of Loches towards the Cité Royale and its Porte Royale. The narrow cobbled street is lined with old stone buildings, their façades drawing the eye towards the higher ground. The coloured banners overhead add a splash of colour to the climb, but the destination is the real attraction: the medieval entrance to the royal quarter.

The climb up Rue du Château follows one of the oldest routes through Loches. In medieval times, this street led to a fortified approach to the castle, where a barbican stood in front of the drawbridge protecting the Porte Royale. The entrance we reach today dates mainly from the late 12th or early 13th century, although it was strengthened considerably in the 15th century as artillery changed the nature of warfare. Keep climbing and you are following a route that has led visitors to the fortress for centuries. 

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

“The streets here don’t hurry. They simply invite you to walk, to notice, to belong.”

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Part of the “On the Streets of the Loire” Series

Each Saturday, we stroll through the lanes and cobbles of Loire towns and villages — places where every step feels like a story.

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