The Tour Charlemagne is a tall, austere Romanesque tower standing alone on a corner of Place de Châteauneuf, a couple of blocks west of Place Plumereau. It was the northern transept tower of the lost medieval Basilica of Saint Martin and is one of only two pieces of that great pilgrimage church to survive the Revolution.
The tower is named after Charlemagne's wife Luitgarde, who died at Tours in 800 and was buried near here. It collapsed partially in 1928 and was rebuilt; it now stands a little stocky and shorter than its original form. The square at its base is a pleasant spot to sit with a coffee and pick out where the basilica's walls would have run.