Église Saint-Ours

The Collégiale Saint-Ours stands on the hill of the Cité Royale in Loches, beside the great medieval keep and the royal lodge, and it is one of the most unusual Romanesque churches in the Loire Valley. The church takes its name from Saint Ours, a hermit of the sixth century who is said to have founded a monastery here, and it was built over several centuries, mostly in the tenth to twelfth centuries, as the church of a community of canons attached to the castle.

The outstanding feature is the great porch on the west front, a deep recessed doorway whose arches are covered in carved ornament, with figures, geometric motifs and traces of the colour with which the stone was once painted. It dates from around the middle of the twelfth century and is considered one of the best Romanesque portals in the region of Touraine. The sculptures are weathered, but you can still make out the scenes and the pattern of the arches. Inside the doorway is the entrance to a church whose layout is very unusual.

The second distinctive feature is the roof. Instead of the usual barrel vault, the nave of Saint-Ours is covered by two tall octagonal stone pyramids, called dubes in the local language, which rise like hollow spires over the nave. They are unique in France, and the pyramids can be seen from outside, giving the church a silhouette unlike any other in the Loire Valley. Inside, the space under the pyramids is high and plain, with a simple and solemn atmosphere.

The church also has links with royal history. Agnès Sorel, the favourite of King Charles VII, died in 1450 and was buried here in the collegiate church; her tomb is now displayed in the royal lodge of the château. Charles VII himself came to Loches with Joan of Arc in 1429, and the Cité Royale as a whole is a place that recalls the French court in the fifteenth century. The quarter is classed as a Ville d'art et d'histoire, and its streets, gates and ramparts reward a stroll.

The church is open to visitors and entrance is free, but it is also a place of worship, so keep quiet during services. A visit of thirty minutes to an hour is enough, and you can combine it with the Château de Loches, the Tour Guillaume and the Musée du Vieux Loches. It suits those who love Romanesque architecture and anyone exploring the Loire Valley beyond the large châteaux.