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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Poitevine Gate is an ancient gate in the southern enclosure protecting the lower town of Loches, in Indre-et-Loire. Built in the 13th century as the "Porte de la Guerche", it was rebuilt in the 15th century during the reconstruction of the urban defences ordered by Charles VII around 1452, after a fire occurred during the siege led by the Duke of Alençon. Its remains, listed as historical monuments in 1962, mark the southern access of the city on the road to Poitiers, a jacquary route.

Located at the end of Droulin Mail and Louis-Delaporte Street, the door owes its name to its position on the Loches-Poitiers axis. Today, only the right feet surrounding the passage remain, as well as a short section of courtine connecting the door to the Maillet Tower, a cylindrical tower flanked by murderers. The oldest parts, in rubble with angle chain, contrast with the courtine of the 15th century and the tower, built in tuft in medium apparatus.

The Poitevine door is part of a wider defensive system, including a towered enclosure and four doors, only two of which remain. The Maillet Tower, adjacent to the gate, is the southernmost of the towers preserved. His coronation has disappeared, but his murderers testify to his role in protecting the city. The gate was mentioned in 1293, proving its anteriority to the 15th century enclosure, built to strengthen the defences after the damage suffered during the conflicts.

Ranked among historical monuments since 1962, the Poitevine Gate illustrates the evolution of urban fortifications between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Its inscription covers both the door and the remains of the Maillet Tower, highlighting their heritage value. The site, although partially preserved, offers a tangible testimony to the military and urban history of Loches, a city marked by its royal past and its strategic position on pilgrimage routes.

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