Just across the Indre from Loches is the village of BEAULIEU-LES-LOCHES - an extraordinary, little-known place, thoroughly medieval in appearance, with its parish church built into the spectacular ruins of an abbey contemporary with the Loches keep. Its other church, St-Pierre, holds the bones of Foulques Nerra, the eleventh-century count of Anjou responsible for Loches's grisly donjon . Next to the ruined abbey, there's a charming low-budget hotel , the Hôtel de Beaulieu , 3 rue Foulques-Nerra (tel 02.47.91.60.80; 160-220F/¬24-34). The bistro   L'Estaminet (tel 02.47.59.35.47; closed Mon) next door is run by the hotel owner's son and serves simple country cooking from around 80F/¬12.20.