In front of you, you'll spot a massive, pale stone wall with chunky towers looming off to the left-look for the steep staircase beside a bunch of pink flowers to be sure you're at the right spot.
Imagine, it’s the end of the 12th century and these ramparts are rising up, stone by heavy stone, to shield Thouars and its noble castle. With up to 58 mighty towers poking out like a crown, these walls were the town’s superhero cape! Picture lookouts peering from the Porte au Prévost in the north or the Prince-of-Wales tower to the south, while the wide, 25-meter moat below yawns massively-imagine trying to leap that with medieval shoes! Out to the west, the river Thouet adds a slippery layer of defense, while an arched bridge, later renamed Chouan Bridge, connects you daringly to Saint-Jean-de-Thouars. These stones saw action too, especially during the wild days of the Vendée armies in 1793. Fast forward to today, and archaeologists are still uncovering secrets-like the remains discovered near the ancient hospice in 2018. So as you stand here, just think: these walls faced centuries of sieges, mystery, and more than a few grumpy invaders.
