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Loches, France

Self-catering Loches holiday cottages and gites, France

Loches is found in the Indre-et-Loire department in the Centre region of central France. It is situated approximately 30 miles of Tours on the left bank of the Indre River. A visit to Loches means an opportunity to absorb a picturesque town rich in history. Loches originally grew as a result of a monastery founded about 500 by St. Ours.

Loches is recognized as being one of the most picturesque towns in central France. It lies at the foot of a rocky eminence on which stands the Château de Loches. A stay in a Loches holiday cottage means you can’t resist seeing or taking in this impressive castle. It’s surrounded by an outer wall 4 meters. thick, and consists of the church of St. Ours, the royal lodge and the donjon.

The Château de Loches was actually constructed in the 9th century. Built some 500 meters above the Indre River, it dominates the town. The castle and the adjacent ancient Church of Saint-Ours are open to the public. The château de Loches has been recognized as a historical monument since 1861 and is listed by the French Ministry of Culture.

Other things to see when you rent a holiday cottage in Loches include the church of St. Ours, which dates from the tenth century to the twelfth century. Among its distinguishing features are the huge stone pyramids surmounting the nave and the beautiful carving of the west door. Loches has an hôtel-de-ville and several houses of the Renaissance period – another reason to stay in self-catering accommodation in Loches.

In the spring months temperatures generally hover around 20 degrees, with occasional rain. Long dry spells are frequent in the summer with temperatures from 22 – 28 degrees. In the autumn light frosts are common with highs of 17 degrees and in the winter it can be chilly with 8 degrees the average. 

Travelling to your Loches holiday gite: Travel connections are mainly in nearby Tours which is on one of the main lines of the TGV. A local train service to Tours from Loches takes an hour approximately. It is then possible to travel to Bordeaux in two and a half hours, to the Mediterranean coast via Avignonand from there to Spain and Barcelona, or to LyonStrasbourg and Lille. It takes less than one hour by train from Tours to Paris by TGV. To reach Loches is on average a comfortable 5 hour drive from France’s northern ferry ports – it is also conveniently located between the A10 and A85 auto-routes.

Nearby Tours Loire Valley Airport welcomes Ryanair flights from London Stansted Airport and Dublin