A 14th-century fortified gate tower that once marked the main entrance to the walled town of Amboise. The Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) stands at the junction of the main streets below the chateau, its clock face visible from the square where the market spills out on Fridays and Sundays.
The tower is not open to climb, but it frames the old town perfectly — the narrow street running south beneath the arch leads into the medieval quarter. The market under and around the tower is among the best in the Loire Valley: chèvre in every form, rillettes, Loire wines, and fruit in season. Friday mornings and Sunday mornings, year-round.