Loches and Montresor

The morning started early (5:30am) with Anthon requesting chocolate milk. After downing an individual portion of box chocolate milk he climbed into bed with his  parents and fell back to sleep.  Scharman and I each got in a run from 7:30-8:30 and the kids rolled out of bed around 8-8:30am and each volunteered to visit the boulangerie for our morning baguettes.  So it was dad and four kids walking the 105 steps to the bakery in a light drizzling rain.  Grace volunteered to make the purchase, which means interacting with the french speaking woman behind the counter; I stayed outside just to give her a more authentic experience (without dad).  Just before purchasing baguettes the girls asked for croissants for breakfast, so Grace purchased both.  We returned to the breakfast table where we enjoyed eggs, bread, croissants, yogurt, and cheese, but before we finished the children were clamoring for more croissants...so it was back to the bakery for more. And, minutes after returning home and the children having eaten their croissants, with Anthon crying for yet another croissant, I returned with Anthon and paid another $0.85 euros for another croissant for my little guy.  I must add, the croissants really are that good.

With breakfast cleaned-up and everyone dressed and ready for the day we drove the two blocks to the Olsons who were just loading into their Fiat Scudo 9 passenger vehicle, and it was off to Loches (Low-shh).  We sped through the picturesque countryside, through wheat fields and vineyards, up and down gradual hills, through patches of forest so dense the headlights in our vehicles automatically illuminated, past 11th and 12th century farm houses and little villages with a church at the center.   In about 30-40 minutes we crested a hill and saw the town of Loches sprawling out before us with a magnificent fortress style castle on the hill next to its main church, and the city spreading out in every direction.  We followed the signs to the center of town and ultimately found the round-a-bout at the center and then found a parking lot just a block away from the "Medieval City" part of town. We unloaded and walked up a hill a few hundred yards through the castle gates.

We selected Loches as our destination spot for today, not because it is where King Richard the Lionheart of England met secretly with Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc), but because it has a dungeon!

Surprisingly, there were only a handful of tourists, and we generally felt like we had the castle to ourselves. Within the fortress walls we first visited the ancient church.

worn steps at the church entrance

Sir George guarding the Priest's staircase

Next it was down a block of the medieval town to the Donjon Loches.  The boys had already "suited up" in their knight suits and were ready to storm the castle.

We investigated every nook, room, stairwell, rooftop, tunnel, and eventually arrived at the dungeon where the children were swept into "the Cage" by the knights. It was fascinating to see the remains of a spectacular fortress, to see the secret passageways, the stone staircases rising hundreds of feet high and descending 50 meters below the castle into the tunnels left from quarrying the soft Tufa rock used to build the castle, the church and many of the homes in the medieval city.

Grace is locked in the dungeon

The Cage!

What do you think the bucket is for?

Once we escaped the dungeon we wandered into the village of Loches and found a cafe--it was approximately 3pm.  We all sat inside at several tables and the waitress asked what we would like to drink. We responded (actually Erik Olson, the only French speaker in our group responded) that "tap water would do just fine"; and surprisingly she said "but you must buy something" as she sold us each a small bottle of water.  Acquiescing to the purchase of water we then asked what we could order to eat. To our surprise and disappointment the woman said that food was no longer served at that hour. We stood to leave and to take our glass bottles of water with us when another lady ran to us from behind the bar and (in French) told us that the bottles don't leave the cafe (I think).  So we departed without our bottles having learned to ask first what food was being served and then to be seated for a meal.

With hungry children, and hungry parents, we walked across the street to the boulangerie/patisserie and purchased baguettes, croissants, quiches (Lorraine, and salmon/broccoli), eclairs, tarts,  and a chocolate mousse dessert, and the baker threw-in some small breads that tasted like cornbread muffins.  As we tore into the baguettes and the children ate their croissants we walked two blocks to a small grocery store where we purchased brie, salami, prosciutto, plums, and bologna.  It was perfect for everyone (Anthon started with his strawberry tart).

As children dozed off, dads tried not to get lost while searching for a route out of town.  And within minutes we were back on the same route that took us to Loches, determined to return to a beautiful little village we passed through on the way to Loches, its name is Montresor.  Ten minutes later we were in Montresor parking at the base of the castle wall.

Montresor Castle (just left of center)

Everyone piled out of the vehicles and we pulled out our dozing son and hiked the hill to Chateaux Montresor, and paused for a photo overlooking the village.

We entered the grounds at Chateaux Montresor through the arch in its giant wall. Once inside we saw the 15th century Renaissance style home across the yard from the 11th century castle.  The children found the grounds interesting so the castle had to wait as we explored the great wall of the property with its hidden doorways and stone staircases.  One spiral stone staircase in the rear corner of the property descended into the darkness about 80-90 steps before ending at a locked wooden door at the road far below the backside of the castle (of course we only know this because the children were overcome with a desire to investigate).  And from the backside of the property we obtained a spectacular view of the village, the castle, and the church.

Escargot

Montresor Castle and Church

Once finished with the grounds we had the castle to ourselves.  With our english narration book we explored the many rooms displaying countless works of art, hunting trophies, books in the library, a piano in the great room on which Chopin composed numerous concertos (and since I read on a blog prior to our visit that another visitor was invited to play a song by the keeper of the castle, I asked Grace to play a song).

The tour ended with a secret hidden "treasure" room with gold and silver items.  It was another interesting and fascinating exploration and the perfect end to our day.  We then departed the castle grounds and took another route home, again enjoying the picturesque countryside of France.

-Matt