Royal castle of Loches,

Royal castle of Loches, Loire Valley'Real' South of France ToursCarcassonneView from William the Conqueror’s castle in Caen, NormandyBut medieval fortresses still stand acrossFrance. Walk around William the Conqueror’sducal castle at Caen, a town that celebrates1000 years of history in 2025; explore theimposing riverside fortresses at Angers on theMaine with its 17 towers; Chinon on the Loire,where Henry II breathed his last and Loches,where Joan of Arc persuaded the Frenchking-in-waiting to let her lead his armiesagainst the English.In the shadow of the Pyrenees, close to theSpanish border, discover the many defensiveadditions to UNESCO-listed Carcassonne.Begun in the 12 th century by the powerfullocal viscount, La Cité de Carcassonne grewin importance as a military fortress, beforebeing abandoned after the end of the Franco-Spanish war in 1659.But in 1844, restoration work began on theorders of Prosper Mérimée, Inspector Generalof Historic Monuments, who entrustedthe project to Viollet-le-Duc, an architectpassionate about Gothic and Medievalarchitecture who had already supervised workon Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.Purists may argue with Le-Duc’s interpretationof how he felt Carcassonne should look, butwithout him, 21 st century visitors may neverhave had the chance to explore this marvel ofmedieval construction.EXPERIENCE THEAMAZING CULTURE,HISTORY, FOODAND WINE INOCCITANIETHE REAL SOUTH OF FRANCErealsouthoffrancetours.fr30 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 31