The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Cléry

Famous for housing the tomb of Louis XI, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Cléry is a must-see in the Loire Valley. Built in the late Gothic style (15th century), it is the site of an annual pilgrimage that dates back to the discovery of a statue of Notre-Dame in 1280.

The foundation stone was laid in 1339… But during the Hundred Years’ War, the English showed the building no mercy, leaving only the bell tower. Jean de Dunois, Lord of Beaugency and famous bastard of Orléans, played a key role in its reconstruction. As early as 1444, he initiated its rebuilding and installed a funeral chapel in which he and his wife were buried. King Louis XI proclaimed it the “Chapelle Royale” in 1467 and chose it as his burial place.