Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Picoys Gate, also known as the Picois Gate, is an ancient fortified entrance located in the northern part of the medieval enclosure of Loches, in Indre-et-Loire. Built in the 15th century like the other gates of the courtine protecting the city, it was modified or associated in the 16th century according to some sources. It stands at the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, in the heart of the shopping centre, and gives its name to rue Picois, probably with reference to a local family attested from the thirteenth century.

Ranked a historic monument in 1862 at the same time as the adjacent town hall, the Picoys Gate illustrates medieval defensive architecture. It combines a broken arched carriageway door and a pedestrian crossing, once protected by a harrow and two drawbridges crossing the moat. A spiral staircase serves three floors, including a round road with mâchicoulis. The turret sheltering the stairway, partially masked by the city hall, bears witness to the later urban adaptations.

The south side of the tower has a clock transferred in 1791 from the church of the Chartreuse du Liget (Chemilllé-sur-Indrois), where it was recovered as a national good. This detail reflects the reuse of religious objects after the Revolution. The gate, owned by the commune, remains a major vestige of the fortifications of Loches, linked to its urban and military history.

Its early ranking (1862) underlines its heritage importance, while its central location, between merchant space and municipal power (city hall), makes it a symbol of the transition between medieval and modern city. The lost moat and defensive systems recall its initial role in controlling access, typical of the fortified cities of Touraine.

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