Tour César

The Tour César, also called the Grosse Tour, is the great keep that rises above the upper town of Provins, and it is the symbol of the medieval city. Provins, in the Seine-et-Marne department, was one of the main trading towns of the Counts of Champagne in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when merchants from all over Europe came to its fairs, and the town is on the UNESCO World Heritage list as an outstanding example of a medieval fair town. The tower stood at the centre of the counts' fortress and was a sign of their power over the region.

The tower was built in the twelfth century, probably under Count Henry the Liberal, and was strengthened in the following century. It has an unusual form: a square base supports an octagonal body with turrets at the corners, and the whole structure rises more than forty metres above the plateau, which makes it visible from far away. The name Caesar is a legend. Local tradition claimed that Julius Caesar built it, which has no historical basis, but the name stuck as a symbol of power and antiquity. In practice, the tower served as a lookout, a refuge in times of danger and a prison, and it was part of a larger castle whose walls and outbuildings have mostly disappeared.

Inside, the visit takes you up a staircase through several floors. You pass vaulted guardrooms, with their thick walls and narrow windows, and the governor's room, a rare comfortable space in a fortress, which has its own latrines for the occupants. Higher up, the framework of the roof, a complex timber structure of the seventeenth century, is an impressive piece of carpentry. At the top, the bells of the collegiate church of Saint-Quiriace, which stands next to the tower, are housed in the structure. From the platform, the panoramic view covers the walls, the roofs of the town and the countryside, with the dome of Saint-Quiriace nearby.

An audio guide helps to explain the history, and the admission is modest, with seasonal opening hours that are worth checking. In summer, the town holds a large medieval festival and shows with birds of prey on the ramparts, and the roses of Provins, a local symbol, are celebrated in June. The climb is steep and the steps are narrow, so the tower is not suitable for people with mobility problems.

The tower suits history lovers, families with older children and photographers. The Underground Galleries, the Maison des Templiers and the Saint-Quiriace church are other places to see in the town.