Indre-Et-Loire : History

Very early on, the Loire Valley was occupied by humans. This is evidenced by the discovery of bifaces on the plateaus of Gien, Briare and Chatelliers in Amboise, at the level of the current castle overlooking the Loire.

The discoveries at the Amboise castle make it possible to affirm that the populations settled down from the Neolithic. During a stay in the Loire Valley, a tour of the flint-cutting site of Grand-Pressigny in Indre-et-Loire is also an opportunity to note that the populations not only settled permanently in the area, but that they also exported their production of blades within a radius of several hundred kilometres. Further west in the Saumurois region, the presence of menhirs and dolmens also testifies to a very ancient human presence in the region.

Four tribes populated Gaul at this time: the Carnutes, the Bituriges, the Andes and the Turones. They were mainly traders and farmers who prospered until 52 BC and the fall of Alesia. It is then that the Gallo-Roman era begins, where the Romans build cities, aqueducts and work on improving the road network. It was also at this time that several large cities in the Loire Valley, such as Chartres, Bourges, Orleans and Tours, became major trading cities. Today, superb Gallo-Roman remains can be found in various places in the region, such as in the commune of Chambourg-sur-Indre in Touraine, as well as in Bourges, with its beautiful ramparts.

The first barbarian invasions began in the region, while the Romans were experiencing a crisis at all levels. It is also in this context of fear that Christianity begins to spread. The Vandals, Huns, Saracens, Normans and Hungarian horsemen succeeded one another in invading the land, despite assaults to repel them. It is at this time that the feudal model is established.

A Roman legionnaire, Martin was born in Hungary around the year 316. He arrived in Gaul in 334, first passing through Amiens, where he gave half a coat belonging to the imperial army to a poor man. In 360, he founded the first monastic community in Gaul, before being kidnapped by the inhabitants of Tours, who had just lost their bishop. It was on this occasion that he founded the monastery of Marmoutier, a training center designed to evangelize the surrounding countryside. Marmoutier played a major role in the spread of Christianity in Gaul. He died in Cannes in 397, and his body was brought back to Tours by gabare by the monks of Tours. He is buried in the Basilica of Saint-Martin, built for his repose. Saint Martin was an influential figure in the Loire Valley, Gaul, Europe and other parts of the world.

In 1154, Henry II Plantagenet, heir to Anjou, Maine and Normandy, was recognized as King of England and controlled a large part of western France, from north to south. His domain was even larger than that of the King of France, Louis VII. This situation, which satisfied neither of them, led to conflicts between the Plantagenets and the Capetians, particularly in the Loire Valley. Chinon being the administrative center of the Plantagenets, it is at this time that the fortress is strengthened. Different strategies between the sons of Henry II and Louis VII will lead Anjou, Touraine, Maine and Berry to join the domain of France. The English then only owned Aquitaine. Despite the attempts of the kings of England to recover the French lands of the Plantagenets, peace finally came in 1299. It was even ensured by the marriage of Isabelle of France and Edward II of England.

In 1337, when Philip the Fair's nephew, Philip le Valois, assumed power in France, this appointment caused a stir with Edward III of England, Philip le Bel's only grandson at the time. As Philip VI attempted to annex Guyenne, a territory in English hands, Edward III asserted his rights to the French crown, and the Hundred Years' War, which would last 116 years, began. The region found itself at the heart of the conflict, as it bordered on territories controlled by the English. The kingdom of France was in turmoil, with Charles IV suffering from fits of dementia and the plague spreading across Europe. In 1422, Charles VII proclaimed himself King of France. While the king controlled Anjou, Touraine, Maine, Berry and Orléanais, the English gradually invaded the Loire Valley, eventually laying siege to Orléans in 1428. What followed was the epic story of Joan of Arc, who, after passing through Blois, decided to liberate Orléans. She succeeded, and Charles VII was crowned in Reims, while Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen. In 1453, the Hundred Years' War officially came to an end.

The golden age of the Loire Valley castles is usually associated with the reign of François I, but in reality it lasted much longer. At that time, the kings of France made the Loire Valley their favorite place to stay, encouraging the emergence of the bourgeoisie, linked to the Crown or having built industries. Commerce and craftsmen were also numerous to settle in the region. However, it is François I who will introduce the fashions coming from Italy, and it is then that the craziest and most impressive constructions can start, those that the whole world takes pleasure in visiting and admiring, especially the English in our time.

Louis XI was born in Bourges and spent part of his childhood in Loches and Amboise. Although he was exiled to the Netherlands because he was in conflict with his father, he was crowned at the death of his father, then went to the Loire after a stay in Paris. It is on this occasion that he built the castle of Langeais, then redeveloped Plessis-lez-Tours to make it the royal residence. The reigns of Charles VIII and Louis XII were marked by the wars in Italy. Through various alliances, the French troops successively invaded Italy and then were driven out. It was also at this time that the French discovered the Italian way of life: the Renaissance. The Italians were fascinated by Greek and Roman antiquity and integrated its elements into their arts. They also detached themselves from the omnipotence of God, and put man back at the center of everything: this was the birth of humanism. The austere towers and fortified houses also gave way to palaces lined with galleries and sumptuous villas invaded the countryside. Totally seduced, Charles VIII wanted to introduce this style in France, starting by restoring the castle of Amboise and integrating gardens. We know the rest, several castles of the Loire Valley adopt a Renaissance style. If the Italian wars had serious consequences on the life of the kingdom, they also allowed to give it a new face, in the fields of architecture, arts and culture.

François I, a key figure in the history of the Loire castles, was born in Cognac in 1494. Duke of Angouleme, he spent his childhood in Amboise and was expected to take over the crown, as Louis XII had no male heir. His mother and sister gave him a taste for Italian culture and literature. His reign began in 1515 but in Italy the king came up against the power of his rival Charles V. Defeats followed until the battle of Pavia in 1525 where he was imprisoned. However, Francis I is remembered above all for his taste for large-scale construction projects and for the beauty of the Renaissance style. He did not hesitate to bring in artists from Italy, the most famous of whom was Leonardo da Vinci, who ended his life in the charming residence of Clos-Lucé. Francis I was responsible for completing the work begun by Louis XII at Amboise, and built a wing to the castle of Blois before tackling his most ambitious project: the castle of Chambord. At the same time, the nobles living in the Loire Valley were remodelling old buildings and building new ones. Chaumont-sur-Loire, Azay-le-Rideau and Villandry are the result of this period.

In France, the Reformation was spread by the writings of John Calvin. In 1534, the Affair of the Placards broke out: anti-Catholic writings were plastered to the door of Francis I's bedroom. Protestants were arrested and burned. Tensions continued with the Amboise conspiracy, the assassination of the Duke of Guise in 1588, and the assassination of Henry III in 1589. It was not until Henry IV promulgated the Edict of Nantes in 1598, drawn up at the Jacobin convent in Angers, that peace was restored.

During the French Revolution, a large number of châteaux in the Loire Valley were vandalized. Some, like Chinon, were left in ruins. Anjou, meanwhile, was hard hit by the Vendée wars from 1793 onwards. The First Empire saw the return of a certain calm. A wealthy class emerged, made up of émigrés returning to France and the nobility of the Empire. In 1804, the Civil Code was promulgated, establishing the right to own property. It was then that many châteaux were bought out to be renovated and lived in, as part of a luxury lifestyle.

First list of historical monuments, including Chenonceau, Chambord, Blois and Cheverny.

If the Sologne has long been neglected because of its infertile land, the territory returns to the forefront during the reign of Napoleon III, who is originally from there. Many rich bourgeois had follies built in the wooded areas to hunt.

Some castles were damaged by German bombing, including Chenonceau. At the same time, the buildings were used as a refuge for works of art, including those from the Louvre, which were taken to Chambord in 1939.

Chambord is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The whole of the Loire Valley, from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes-sur-Loire, is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, because of its landscapes and its castles.