Tour de Ganne
Standing on the left bank of the Loing River in Grez-sur-Loing, the Tour de Ganne is one of the last surviving remnants of a once-powerful medieval fortress. Built around 1127 under the reign of King Louis VI, also known as Louis the Fat, this tower was part of a defensive line protecting the Kingdom of France from neighboring Burgundy and Champagne.
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History
Back in the Middle Ages, Grez-sur-Loing was more than a quiet village—it was a key strategic and economic hub. Goods like timber, sandstone, and grain traveled through here en route to Paris, using the royal road and the Loing River. The area’s importance is reflected in its impressive defences: four fortified gates, seven mills (four of which still exist), and the mighty castle, with the Tour de Ganne as its stronghold.
A Royal Connection
The castle at Grez eventually became royal property and saw some notable guests. Blanche of Castile, the powerful mother of King Louis IX (Saint Louis), stayed here several times. Kings like Philippe IV (Philip the Fair) and Jean II (John the Good) also visited. Documents signed at Grez confirm that it served as a royal residence in the 13th and 14th centuries.
But the Tour’s most poignant historical moment came in 1531, when Louise of Savoy, mother of King François I, died there. She was fleeing an outbreak of plague in nearby Fontainebleau and succumbed to the disease inside the tower.
War and Decline
During the Hundred Years’ War, the castle was badly damaged, especially in 1359 and 1370. By the end of the 14th century, only the donjon—the keep or central stronghold—remained intact. This is the part of the structure now known as the Tour de Ganne.
In later centuries, the castle’s military role became outdated. Under Henri IV or possibly in the 18th century, the remaining fortifications were dismantled. The tower was later sold during the French Revolution, as it had belonged to Philippe Égalité, the Duke of Orléans.
Architecture and Ruins
Despite centuries of damage, the Tour de Ganne still shows the strength of its original design. It has a rectangular base, measuring about 15 by 12 meters, with walls over two meters thick. These were built from limestone blocks, and traces of the scaffolding used in its construction can still be seen in the form of “putlog holes” in the stone.
Each wall had two rectangular openings, likely windows or arrow slits, and remnants of a door remain near the north corner. At the southern angle, there are stones believed to be part of a former latrine or turret. There’s even evidence of a small adjoining oratory (private chapel) that once faced east, suggesting the existence of a now-vanished dome.
Only parts of three walls are still standing—mostly the northwest, southwest, and a bit of the southeast sides. But from these ruins, you can still imagine the grandeur and purpose the tower once held.
A Scenic Setting
Today, the Tour de Ganne is surrounded by a 3,000 m² park, once a favorite subject for artists like Carl Larsson, Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, and Kuroda Seiki. The gardens have been carefully restored to look as they did in those 19th-century paintings.
Nearby, visitors can also find two restored 19th-century washhouses and a historic grange (barn) donated to the town. At the base of the tower, there’s a royal milestone—marked with a fleur-de-lys and numbered “36”—that once signaled the distance to Paris along the old king’s highway.
A Tower by Many Names
The tower has gone by several names over the centuries—Ganne, Gal, Gannes, and even Galles. Some believe the name "Ganne" may come from the Latin gannum (meaning “ridiculous”) or ganea (“tavern” or “den”), a nickname often given to crumbling old ruins.
It’s also known as the "Tour de la Reine Blanche", or “White Queen’s Tower,” in honor of Blanche of Castile. Although the full castle is long gone—its stones repurposed for the construction of nearby Château de Nemours—the Tour de Ganne remains a symbol of Grez-sur-Loing’s rich and royal past.
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