The medieval wall of Tours, also known as the "clouaison of John the Good" or "John the Good's wall", is a fortified defensive city wall erected between 1354 and 1368 with the support of King John II to safeguard the medieval city of Tours.
Stretching along the Loire River, the city was unified by a series of urban developments that connected the eastern "Cité", centered around the cathedral, with the western core area, formed around the Basilica of Saint-Martin. The wall's construction was of poor quality, making it obsolete relatively quickly. Despite several phases of modernization and redevelopment during the 15th century, the wall could not withstand the advances in warfare technology, especially the rise of more effective artillery. Consequently, the wall was soon surpassed by urban expansion into the suburbs. The enclosure gradually disappeared between the end of the 16th century, when a was constructed, and the early 1970s, when the areas damaged in 1940 were rebuilt and remodeled. However, the wall played a crucial role in establishing the city's geographical and administrative unity. A significant milestone in this evolution was the election of as the first in 1492.
In 1991, the enclosure was included in the general inventory of cultural heritage. Today, aside from a section of the wall along the Loire preserved in an underground public parking lot, no visible remnants remain above ground. Its layout can still be traced on contemporary city maps through streets that outline the ditches that bordered it, particularly in the west and south.
Geographical and historical context
In the 14th century Tours was a bipolar city, comparable to a modern conurbation in terms of its urban structure and population density. To the west was Châteauneuf, which was becoming a significant commercial center and an active site for pilgrimages. Its central area, centered around the tomb of Saint Martin, was protected by the . To the east, the Cité, the seat of administrative and religious authorities, was entirely within the enclosures of the late Roman Empire, except for the small suburb of Arcis, which had grown on the western flank of the Cité and was likely walled in the 11th or 12th century. In between these two urban centers, the Saint-Julien Monastery, refounded in the 10th century by following its sacking by the Normans, witnessed the growth of several smaller religious establishments along the road connecting the two urban centers by the river.
The residents of the agglomeration first became aware of the risk posed by the Loire River, which bordered the entire area, due to the lack of levees at that time. The insecurity caused by attacks from bands of raiders acting on behalf of the Black Prince ultimately led to the construction of a defensive structure.
A new enclosure
The inhabitants of Tours resolved to construct a fortification, the fourth in the city's history if the previous enclosure surrounding the amphitheater is included, to encompass all urbanized areas and unite the city physically. Moreover, the wall, known as the "clouaison", was designed to safeguard the Loire Riverfront from flooding. The construction of the wall was initiated by the residents of Châteauneuf, probably as early as 1354, and was subsequently confirmed and encouraged by royal letters patent from King Jean II the Good, dated 30 March 1356, in Beauvais. In addition to these directives, the letters also stipulated the recovery of stones from existing structures and the use of wood from royal domains. The western side and a portion of the Loire Riverfront were constructed as early as 1358–1359. The wall was not completed until 1368, following a period of inactivity between 1360 and 1363 due to a lack of financial resources. This was caused by the prohibition issued by Jean the Good, which prevented the city from imposing taxes that would compete with those levied by the royal government.
The construction was primarily financed by the chapter of Saint-Martin and the affluent merchants of Châteauneuf, who engaged in a competitive pursuit of generosity. The metropolitan chapter, headquartered in the Cité, was notably more reluctant to assume ownership, primarily due to concerns about the potential loss of authority, particularly given the wall's continued protection under the Gallo-Roman castrum. Ultimately, the wall's ownership was shared among multiple entities, including the King of France, the chapter of Saint-Martin, the metropolitan chapter, and the city itself.
A protection that excluded some suburbs
The "clouaison", measuring 4,335 meters in length, was situated to the east on the Arcis wall, representing a western extension of the ancient castrum constructed in the 11th or 12th century. The route is poorly documented in sources and on the ground. It followed the northern side of the Loire River, whose bank was gradually pushed northward through small successive embankments. It subsequently descended to the south at the level of Rue de la Victoire and Place des , turned east via Rue de Clocheville, where it integrated the old Saint-Michel-de-la-Guerche Church (which was subsequently transformed into a bastion), and reached Rue Émile-Zola, reusing stones from the old to connect back to the Cité. The southern wall of the structure ran in proximity to a series of marshy areas and abandoned river channels, thereby affording it a degree of natural protection. The city enclosed by this wall spanned 58 hectares and was structured by two east-west roads: The city was bisected by two principal thoroughfares: the Grande Rue in the north and the Rue de la Scellerie in the south. Additionally, there was an important north-south axis, the "Route of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle", which was traversed by pilgrims and extended from the Loire River bridge to the Porte Saint-Étienne. This gate, designated as "Porte Neuve" on Georg Braun's map, appeared to possess a pivotal role within the city's strategic layout, as evidenced by its subsequent reconstruction and reinforcement.
To reduce expenditure, the decision was taken not to incorporate the suburb of Notre-Dame-la-Riche, situated to the west, within the boundaries of the defended area. Additionally, the decision to reuse the well-maintained walls of the castrum was likely influenced by the desire to avoid imposing significant burdens on the inhabitants of the Cité. Furthermore, the construction did not extend beyond the existing walls in that area. The wall resulted in the division of eight of Tours' fifteen parishes, with part of their territory situated within the city and part outside.
An economical construction
Curtain wall and wall walk
It would be erroneous to assume that the design of this enclosure guarantees its solidity. The structure was erected in a relatively short period by multiple teams working in parallel, with adjoining sections connected in a manner that resulted in noticeable shifts in alignment. The quality of the materials used was highly variable, with some elements being of a heterogeneous nature. This included the reuse of items such as a Christian tombstone. The stones used for the facing in medium-sized masonry were sourced from local quarries, with the furthest one, in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, situated 60 km from Tours. The wall is situated on existing structures, including a ruined ancient temple, a church, and a chapel. In the eastern part of the Loire front, the Gallo-Roman wall was heightened with masonry in medium-sized stones, which probably date from the construction of the clouaison or one of its repair phases.
The foundations, when present, appear to be constructed from reused limestone rubble placed into a trench without using mortar. The curtain wall is composed of two facing layers of regular limestone rubble, held together by mortar, with an irregular rubble core bonded with either mortar or clay. The wall is approximately two meters in thickness at its base, and the lower portion of its external surface exhibits a distinct batter. The structure stands at a height of 11.7 meters (approximately six toises), though this measurement may include the foundations, as observations indicate an elevation of 6 to 8 meters above ground, varying by region. The wall is equipped with crenellations at its summit, which may have initially included wooden battlements. It also incorporates a wooden walkway constructed in an overhanging style. This walkway was likely accessed via ladders, which were used to safeguard the guards from assault and to deter them from abandoning their posts, as desertions were prevalent.
Double moat The entire outer perimeter of the enclosure is bordered by a wide, flat-bottomed, water-filled moat, fed by the Loire, preceded by a narrower, shallower dry moat with a V-shaped profile. This double-moat technique was common at the time and was considered the most effective defense against assaults. In the eastern section of the city, at the base of the ancient Gallo-Roman fortification incorporated into the new defensive system, the double moat system was implemented similarly to that observed elsewhere. However, excavations in this area revealed that, at least in this location, the water-filled moat was not connected to the Loire.
On the Loire side, the wall was separated from the river by a water-filled moat, the continuity of which is uncertain. The process of digging and maintaining the moat in this enclosure section was hindered by the floods’ occurrence along the Loire. These floods would sweep away and subsequently refill the excavations, while at low water levels, the river could not fill the moat. Moreover, in this region, moisture penetrated the tuff walls through capillary action, resulting in their deterioration and the collapse of sections into the moat. The excavated soil from the moats was frequently used as a bonding material for the foundations or core of the wall, although lime mortar was also employed. On the Loire front, the base of the curtain wall is perforated by masonry conduits locally designated as "tous", which facilitates water drainage.
Additional defensive structures
An undeveloped area, in which all buildings were demolished and their stones reused, constituted a glacis approximately 50 meters in width situated in front of the wall. A 9-foot-wide passageway, situated along the interior of the wall (the "tour de ville"), was bordered by a low wall or palisade. This passageway ensured the unimpeded movement of guard patrols and provided access to the wall walk on the rampart. The 15 gates and posterns, along with the 14 towers along the clouaison, were the subject of particular attention. The towers were covered and equipped with wooden hoardings, with some towers even fitted to accommodate cannons. Three principal access points—the La Riche gate (to the west), the bridge gate (to the north), and the Feu Hugon tower gate (to the east)—were maintained as continuous points of ingress and egress, while other points of entry could be sealed in the event of an emergency. Some gates were embellished with the city's coat of arms, serving as a marker of prestige. Portcullises and drawbridges, which facilitated the crossing of moats, were associated with these gates. Guard huts, equipped with sentries and bells to signal alarms, were constructed around the entire enclosure from its inception.