The Michelin Green Guide « Châteaux de la Loire » says that Loches — like nearby Chinon — is a town where, once you are in it, you won't see any modern buildings at all. The whole place seems to be frozen in time, and that time is the French Renaissance that blossomed 500 years ago. What Michelin says is not far from true, except for the the shops and boutiques at street level.
These photos show the Porte Picois, "the very image of a late Gothic town gate" (Cadogan « Loire » guide), set in ramparts that were built to protect the lower town. Just to the left of the gate, seen from this angle is the Hôtel de Ville or town hall, which occupies a house built in about 1535.
What I like about Loches is the fact that they don't have ultra-modern-styled shop fronts in the centre...
ReplyDeletejust pre-war type painted wood which seem to blend very well with the older stone above...
in fact even the 'modern' ones in the square by the Orange shop look as though they are 50's or 60's designs...
the powers-that-be have managed to keep modernistic designs to the perry-ferry!
It creates the sort of charm that York has....
but nothing "twee" like the Shambles...
it has a comfortable, lived-in feel.
I really love the creamy color of all of the stone buildings in these photos :)
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