Stretching along the Loire River, the city was unified by a series of urban developments that connected the eastern "Cité", centered around the cathedral, with the western core area, formed around the Basilica of Saint-Martin.

The enclosure gradually disappeared between the end of the 16th century, when a larger wall [fr] was constructed, and the early 1970s, when the areas damaged in 1940 were rebuilt and remodeled.

[G 1] The residents of the agglomeration first became aware of the risk posed by the Loire River, which bordered the entire area, due to the lack of levees at that time.

[3] The insecurity caused by attacks from bands of raiders acting on behalf of the Black Prince ultimately led to the construction of a defensive structure.

The construction of the wall was initiated by the residents of Châteauneuf, probably as early as 1354,[VR 1] and was subsequently confirmed and encouraged by royal letters patent from King Jean II the Good, dated 30 March 1356, in Beauvais.

The metropolitan chapter, headquartered in the Cité, was notably more reluctant to assume ownership, primarily due to concerns about the potential loss of authority, particularly given the wall's continued protection under the Gallo-Roman castrum.

[C59 1] The "clouaison", measuring 4,335 meters in length,[T 2] was situated to the east on the Arcis wall, representing a western extension of the ancient castrum constructed in the 11th or 12th century.

[6] The southern wall of the structure ran in proximity to a series of marshy areas and abandoned river channels, thereby affording it a degree of natural protection.

[8][N 3] Additionally, there was an important north-south axis, the "Route of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle", which was traversed by pilgrims and extended from the Loire River bridge to the Porte Saint-Étienne.

[L 1] This gate, designated as "Porte Neuve" on Georg Braun's map, appeared to possess a pivotal role within the city's strategic layout, as evidenced by its subsequent reconstruction and reinforcement.

Additionally, the decision to reuse the well-maintained walls of the castrum was likely influenced by the desire to avoid imposing significant burdens on the inhabitants of the Cité.

The structure was erected in a relatively short period by multiple teams working in parallel, with adjoining sections connected in a manner that resulted in noticeable shifts in alignment.

[T 4][G 7] In the eastern part of the Loire front, the Gallo-Roman wall was heightened with masonry in medium-sized stones, which probably date from the construction of the clouaison or one of its repair phases.

[T 9] An undeveloped area, in which all buildings were demolished and their stones reused, constituted a glacis approximately 50 meters in width situated in front of the wall.

The dry moat of the clouaison ("rerefossé") was abandoned as early as the 15th century due to the obsolescence of its protective capabilities against artillery with increased range.

[18] Between 1447 and 1450, the enclosure underwent a slight expansion to the south, and Rue de la Sellerie (as it was then spelled) was extended in a direction that led towards the Basilica of Saint Martin.

[20] Beyond the military aspect, the construction of towers on the southern flank of the enclosure, which had been almost devoid of them, may have reflected a desire to monumentalize this part of the rampart and offer a more "flattering" view of the city.

[L 8] The construction of the enclosure was accompanied by the implementation of a mandatory conscription system, which was designed to ensure the unarmed watch of the city and defensive interventions by armed inhabitants.

[C59 4] Monitoring the gates and the northern face of the enclosure was of primary importance, as this side was most vulnerable to flooding from the Loire River and potential attacks by the English and their allies, who held strongholds in the Maine region.

[C59 5] Those residing within the walls were compelled to endure the associated burdens, including the obligation to return to the city when curfew was announced by the ringing of bells from the eastern and western ends, only to depart again in the morning.

Those residing within the city enjoyed a relative sense of security, while those in the suburbs faced a heightened risk of their homes being destroyed by enemy forces or even ordered to demolish them as a preventive measure.

[C 6] As a result, the inhabitants of Tours became conscious of a collective fate regarding administration, the governance of enclosed spaces, and even a distinctive form of community culture.

This approach was initially extended in 1385 with establishing a five-member assembly, whose responsibility was to assess and repair damage to the enclosure caused by several Loire floods.

[26] In his 1912 publication, Tours That Disappear, Édouard Gatian de Clérambault [fr] illustrated several parts of the enclosure, including portions of curtain walls integrated into newer buildings and gates.

The Rouline Gate, situated at the extremity of the amphitheater's bastion and subsequently reinforced, became insufficiently broad for carts to traverse, ultimately leading to its disappearance during the 18th century.

[G 12] The fires that engulfed Tours in June 1940 and the subsequent post-war reconstruction efforts played a pivotal role in the gradual demise of the remaining portions of the enclosure that had managed to withstand the test of time.

[L 10] The final sections of the curtain wall in Passage du Bœuf were razed in early 1974,[T 11] during the urban redevelopment of the Tanneurs district and the construction of buildings for the University of Tours.

Rue des Fossés Saint-Georges, which was established in the late 17th century[L 8] following the ditch that bordered the southern section of the enclosure, has survived into the modern era and is now known as Clocheville and Émile-Zola streets.

[32] In the latter street, the imperfect alignment of several building facades in Sainte-Ursule High School is a consequence of their foundations resting on the remains of the curtain wall and a tower built in 1446[33] in the vicinity of the Saint-Vincent Gate.

[39] In 1999, Bernard Chevalier provided a detailed account of the chronology and political interpretation of the modifications made to the enclosure in the 15th century in a chapter of the book Les Enceintes urbaines (XIIIe et XVIe siècles).