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Tours old town.

Tours, France

Tours is famous for its original medieval district, called le Vieux Tours . Unique to the Old City are its preserved half-timbered buildings and la Place Plumereau, a square with busy pubs and restaurants, whose open-air tables fill the centre of the square. The Boulevard Beranger crosses the Rue Nationale at the Place Jean-Jaures and is the location of weekly markets and fairs.

• Historic city squares, old towns and villages in France

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Finest norman castles in italy, exploring the history of northern poland, discovering slovenia's historic wonders, historic site of the week, herceg novi old town.

Herceg Novi was founded (on a former small fishing village, existing since Roman Empire times) as a fortress in 1382 by first Bosnian King Stjepan Tvrtko I and was called Sveti Stefan or  Castelnuovo . The Turks conquered Herceg Novi in 1482, and ruled for 200 years, until 1687. However, there was a short pause between 1538 and 1539 when it was held by the Spaniards before they were defeated in the Siege of Castelnuovo. Turkey ruled again until 1687, from then until 1797, the town was ruled by the Venetian Republic.

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• Carrefour City, 15 Bd Jean Royer

Carrefour City

Imagine a combination of great dishes and the energetic staff, this is exactly what Carrefour City provides you with. 4.5 is what this place received from the Google rating system.

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Gallivantrix

Teacher, seeker, traveler and adventurer at large, vieux tours, a brief introduction to tours.

This is part 1 of a 4 post series about the city of Tours and the 5 weeks I spent there in the spring of 2024. I didn’t set out to come here specifically. At the time I decided what I needed was to go to France, I wasn’t up for the intense labor involved in planning a vacation. Instead, I decided to use French language classes as a way decide where to go and what to do, and then I just searched the internet for a good school with a flexible start date and decent accommodations. That’s how I wound up more or less randomly spending 5 weeks in Tours, France on the banks of the Loire river.

Tours is the largest urban area of the Loire Valley, but even at the most generous standard of counting census, it’s still less than half a million people in the city and all surrounding areas. The city has a well preserved historical district called “Vieux Tours” (old Tours) which is full of old churches and half-timbered buildings giving it a very provincial town / quaint European village aesthetic. Yet, it is also equipped with a very robust and affordable public transit system and a wide array of shops, restaurants, and other entertainments. It even has an IKEA.

On the day I arrived, I went straight from the train station to my accommodation (thanks to my school) . The apartment is on a quiet street adjacent to the tram line (convenient), but doesn’t have much around it except other modern blocky apartment buildings. When I looked up the photos on Google maps before arrival, I was very hesitant. I didn’t want to live in an industrial complex, I wanted to experience the quaintness of Vieux Tours! I need not have worried. Although the rows and rows of housing can seem a bit Orwellian at first glance, the reality is that there’s still immense amounts of greenery all over. My balcony overlooks a nice garden and there’s a sports field across the street. The main road is lined with trees and the tram line is grassy. While there isn’t much in a stone’s throw, a quick 10-15 minute ride on the tram drops me in Old Tours, and the lack of restaurants and bars in the neighborhood means it’s quiet when I want to rest.

My first day in Vieux Tours, I was distracted by trying to find the entrance to the school, yet I was still charmed by the half-timber buildings in the Place Plumereau (Plume Square) . The building my school is in is actually part of a structure that dates back to the 11th century! Despite the fact that many new additions have been built, you can still clearly see the original masonry and timber in some parts of the classrooms.

This combination of old and new is all over Old Tours. There is a church across the street from my tram stop called Église St-Julien, and although the interior was closed to the public, I was able to walk around to the courtyard and see how the old structure merges with a new shopping complex.

A couple of tram stops down the Rue National from my school stands the Hotel de Ville (the City Hall) and a wonderful place to stroll down tree lined pedestrian avenues. 

Twice, I’ve headed to the outskirts of town, all the way to the IKEA. It was an interesting experience to see the parts of town which are not so quaint and historical as Old Tours, but I still felt like the people living in them could easily head to the cute areas of town for an afternoon whenever they liked. Neighborhoods we passed along the route varied between older building that had been refurbished or repurposed and newer apartment and shopping complexes. Everywhere did a fair job of maintaining green spaces (though perhaps not as lushly as the town center) . The demographic changed starkly once I left the touristy areas, but that is hardly surprising. However, at no point did I feel like anything was dirty or unsafe.

One outing, I tried to go to the local fair, but it turned out to simply be too crowded for my liking. On the other, I was heading towards the giant box store complex next to IKEA. I think most countries now have some kind of big box store. The USA has Target and Wal-Mart. South Korea has Home Plus. In many EU places it’s CarreFour. I had been shopping at small local CarreFour Express or CarreFour City shops closer to home and to my mind those shops were plenty big. However, I needed to replace my waterproof phone case in preparation for my visit to Marseille and the only shop in the area that claimed to have any in stock was all the way back IKEA way in the biggest of big boxes. I was honestly shook by how big that store was, and it wasn’t even the only one in the complex, there were restaurants and a home appliance store as well (and the IKEA across the street) . It felt like it took 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other without even going up and down any aisles! Yet, there was a bus stop right at the parking lot, which means that you don’t have to have a car to go. A nice touch.

Life in Old Tours felt slow and people seem to focus on enjoying things. Most shops are still closed when I head into my 9am class. Lunch is generally seen as 12-2 when most businesses that aren’t serving food close for at least 90 minutes to allow employees to eat. Every restaurant, cafe, boulangerie, and brasserie has sidewalk seating where people can linger over lunch and a glass of wine. There’s a glacier (ice cream shop) on almost every street. After lunch, businesses reopen between 2-3pm while restaurants close or limit service to drinks only. Dinner hours begin around 7pm when the boulangeries finally close. Even in April the sun wasn’t setting until after 9pm, giving the days a languid summer feeling. There’s simply no need to rush anything.

Unlike other tourist destinations in France where people might feel the need to run around to see all the best famous sights, the main attractions in Tours involve ambling around Old Town or strolling along the river. Although just walking through Tours on a sunny day can feel like you’re in a theme park, there’s more!  There are several museums in the town, and several château (castles / really fancy mansions) in the surrounding countryside. (both to be explored in more detail in future blog posts).

My Life in Tours

Since I’m learning the French Art of Living, my life in Tours is slow paced with a focus on relaxing and enjoying. Most days, I woke up early, had some coffee and a pastry, then went to my class at 9am. The classroom lessons were very casual, and frequently we spent more of the class time conversing in French with small side explorations into vocabulary and grammar as the conversation brings them up. There were activities, worksheets, and games, but no one was pressured to “get through a lesson” or hit target learning goals. I don’t know if that’s helpful for the long term students who are trying to pass official French language tests, but for me as a casual learner, it was ideal. My confidence in speaking French increased massively, and as a result I ended up actually using the vocabulary and grammar that I learned in class.

In just a few weeks, I went from being so obviously nervous at speaking French that every shop clerk took pity on me and spoke in English to being able to have detailed conversations about the differences of certain types of bread or cheese in the shops, and place all my orders at restaurants and shops in French without the vendors feeling the need to switch. I’m by no means anywhere near fluent, but it’s been a real boost of achievement to see my progress. Hopefully when I go to other (larger) cities in France, it won’t all fall apart. I chose to take only the morning classes so as to have my afternoons free. Most places that are not serving food are closed until 2pm, so I tend to linger over lunch and often socialize with other students. After lunch, I wander around town, possibly to run an errand such as shopping for groceries at Les Halles, or visiting a museum or part of town that seems interesting.

In the evenings and on at least one weekend day, I rest at my rented apartment. I assigned myself a YA novel in French with the help of my dictionary for extra “homework”, and I watched Drag Race France on the France national television website, entirely in French with French subtitles. I also had boring maintenance chores like cleaning and laundry, and of course editing my photos from the day, writing in this blog, or just zoning out to YouTube videos because sometimes you need a good zone.

In addition to learning French and enjoying Tours, I have had to take part of my time to plan the rest of my French holiday. Usually I plan vacations before I get on a plane, but this trip has been … unusual. The reason I generally prefer to plan before leaving is that it’s a real struggle to tear myself away from the experiences to sit down at the computer and do research. This may seem ironic since I’m obviously sitting down at my computer to write this, but a written account of my experiences is a big part of how I process the memories and savor them. It’s a wholly different experience than researching and planning for a future adventure.

Planning vacations is hard work, but something I used to enjoy doing before COVID. I started feeling better about things in general within a few days of arriving here, but it took me about a month to be able to sit down with Google and a spreadsheet and really PLAN. Every time I tried it before, it just felt overwhelming. My friends with ADHD tell me this is their life all the time, and I honestly can’t imagine. I’m so used to being able to do what needs doing, especially if it’s also something I want! It was so frustrating, but once the damn broke, I had one 12 hour marathon day at the computer and I got it all done. I have hotels, trains, busses, and attraction tickets (where needed in advance) for a week in Marseille, Lyon and Paris each. It may sound like a very “entitled person” problem, struggling to make plans for a vacation, but I’ve said before the only reason I can afford the trips I take is that I spend hours and hours searching for deals and researching free/cheap things to do and see. I’ve seen how much “we’ll figure it out when we get there” costs and I don’t make that much. I was watching a YouTube about the economy, and one of the guests was discussing what it was like to be a person who moved economic classes (from poor to middle) and that there’s aspects of her life now that are “normal” to those raised in the middle/upper middle class that she could never have imagined as a poor person, like being able to change your flight plans, or handle even low level emergencies.

Although my parents were middle class by the time I was born, they themselves were raised poor and changed class. And though they were both college educated, doing better than their parents, there were some years of one-step-away-from-the-trailer-park with my mom as a single parent, and some jobless-homeless-sick years for myself after I moved out. There were ups and downs, but in some ways the repeated downs only served to solidify the idea that the ups were not stable. I spent combined decades living hand to mouth, worrying about the ability to pay rent if my car needed work, needing to stand in line at the food bank, and even begging my friends for a place to stay when I lost mine.

I am still shocked at myself when I can just afford something without stressing about it, and even when planning my holidays I still carefully weigh the cost of an activity against my budget goal (perhaps even too critically) . I’m getting better at giving myself permission to have nicer things, but I’m still going to be staying in (all girl) dormitory hostels for three weeks because it saves me something like 900-1,200$ total. Planning and budgeting are essential to make your money go as far as it can whether you’re on vacation or at home. 

At the time of writing this, I am hours away from leaving Tours. I feel content that I’ve seen a good amount of the best Tours has to offer, and even a chance to explore what life is like outside the charm of Old Town, providing some contrast and perspective. Stay tuned for my next 3 posts which detail the sites I visited within the city of Tours, the château of the Loire Valley, and the foods and wines of Touraine that I was able to try while staying here. À la prochaine!

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Home » Travel Guides » France » 15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

It’s no mystery that Tours is a favourite base for people discovering the Loire Valley’s exalted châteaux.

Villandry, Chenonceau and Amboise are moments by car, and with the help of the Loire à Vélo network you can visit them on two wheels with ease.

But you may find that if you delve a little more into Tours’ history and attractions, it could be difficult to leave the city at all.

In the centre are timber houses and renaissance mansions on car-free streets, and museums that draw you into the city’s medieval past.

There are vineyards welcoming inquisitive oenophiles in the countryside and both the waters and banks of the Loire invite you to go wherever your sense of curiosity leads.

Lets explore the best things to do in Tours :

1. Tours Cathedral

Even by the glacial speed of construction in the middle ages, Tours Cathedral took a long time to be completed.

Building began in 1170 and wouldn’t be finished until 1547, but this means we’re met with a perfect summary of the evolution of gothic art.

The ensemble of original 13th-century stained glass windows in the ambulatory chapels and above the choir is one of the finest in France, and seems to generate its own light.

The cathedral has information panels giving you the meaning behind each image.

The marble renaissance tombs of King Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany’s children are also moving, as both died in infancy.

2. Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours

The riches from Cardinal Richelieu’s 17th-century campaign against the Huguenots and the art seized from abbeys during the Revolution all ended up at Tours’ stellar museum of fine art.

Because of their religious source there’s a good body of Italian gothic primitives from the 14th and 15th centuries, while the two renaissance paintings by Andrea Mentegna are regarded as masterpieces.

You’ve got over a thousand artworks to get through, with sculpture by Rodin, Flemish and Dutch painting by Rembrandt and Rubens, and Impressionism by Monet and Degas.

3. Tours Botanical Garden

The city’s municipal garden has a bit of a troublesome setting, between the Loire and Cher, which made it susceptible to flooding in the past, with two devastating inundations in the mid-19th century that filled the greenhouses with two metres of water.

Even after being hit by bombs in the Second World War there isn’t the slightest hint of a troubled past at these serene gardens.

On your walk you may notice some trees you haven’t seen before, like the Chinese empress tree, ginkgo biloba and the endangered dawn redwood.

The animal park is from 1863 and has farm animals for kids to bond with, as well as more exotic species like wallabies.

4. Le Vieux Tours

Like all the best historic city centres the historic buildings on the pedestrian streets around Place Plumereau aren’t sterile museum pieces but vibrant cornerstones of local life, used as shops, restaurants and bars.

Place de Plumereau is at the nerve centre of one of the largest conservation areas in Europe, with renaissance mansions boasting sculpted reliefs or cantilevered timber houses, going strong for hundreds of years.

If you’re OK with everybody knowing you’re a tourist, jump aboard the little train that departs every hour from Place Plumereau in summer.

5. Musée du Compagnonnage

In the 16th-century Dormitory at the former Abbey of Saint-Julien is a museum devoted to a French workers’ movement that dates back to medieval times.

Roughly, the Compagnons du Tour de France is like a guild of journeymen that preserves historic trades and educates young people about them as part of an apprenticeship.

To complete the apprenticeship and become a “companion” a craftsman had to create a masterpiece for whatever discipline he worked in.

And these dumbfounding creations are presented at the museum, in all kinds of different disciplines, like metalwork, tailoring, shoemaking and woodcarving.

6. Hôtel Goüin

What may be the most beautiful of Tours’ many old building has just come through a long restoration and is open to the public once more.

Hôtel Goüin is an early-renaissance palace on Rue du Commerce, with a balustraded porch and the sort of loggia in which you might expect to see Juliet calling for Romeo.

During the restoration they unearthed fragments of an older building from the 1100s, with four arches and a well, which are on show.

You might just want to stop for a photo of that magnificent facade, but there’s an archaeological museum inside with artefacts from Roman times up to the 1800s.

7. Halles de Tours

Billed as the “Belly of Tours” (ventre de Tours), the city’s indoor market may not be France’s largest, but it’s a gastronome’s idea of heaven.

You may even want to bring your camera or have your phone at the ready, because the cheese, charcuterie, seafood and in-season fruit and vegetable counters are presented with real flair.

If you’re stuck for gift ideas then markets like this tick the box as they’re stocked with all the best from the region.

At Tours that entails wine from the Loire Valley and luxury chocolate.

The city is one of France’s chocolate capitals, and every years holds the Salon du Chocolat de Tours at the Centre de Congrès Vinci.

Come for lunch too: The oyster bar shucks your oyster as you go.

8. Jardin des Prébendes d’Oé

During the French Second Empire from the mid-1800s English-style parks like this one popped up in provincial cities across France.

This was a spot for urban families to take promenades, kids to play and for the city to put on outdoor concerts at the park’s gazebo.

There’s less of the formality of French parterres, as paths weave through tulip flowerbeds and  copses of lime, plane, cedar, chestnut and lofty redwood trees.

So if you could do with a moment of repose take a wander by the pond and pause for a tea or coffee at the kiosk.

On warmer days you could load up on cheese and charcuterie at the market and have the perfect French picnic.

9. Église Saint-Julien de Tours

The predecessors of this  12th-century abbey were wrecked by the Normans in the 9th century and then in a war between the feudal houses of Blois and Anjou in the 10th century.

But miraculously the building that followed has survived everything from the French Revolution to the Second World War.

It was part of a long-gone abbey, and the garden next to the church is where the cloister used to be, while the Musée de Compagnonnage occupies the old dormitory.

10. “Toue” River Cruises

Commercial craft floated along the Loire and Cher since antiquity, hauling people, wine, silk, lumber, salt and all sorts of other cargo up and down these rivers.

Because the waterways can get very shallow they used flat-bottomed sailboats called “toues”, and you can too! Toues can carry between 12 and 30 passengers for hour-long trips, or even romantic dinner cruises in the evening.

Their skippers know these waters and banks like the backs of their hands: And with the deck as your balcony, they’ll shed light on the Tours’ river trade, its many colourful characters and perils.

11. Loire à Vélo

If you had to picture some quintessentially French holiday activities, a bike ride next to the Loire with a backdrop of gentle vine-striped hills and châteaux must be one of the first that comes to mind.

About 150km of the of the Loire à Vélo cycle trail’s totalling 800km are in the Touraine region.

The route is clearly-marked, easy -going because it never leaves the riverside and convenient as there are dozens of hire stations along the way.

You could give yourself set destinations like Amboise or Villandry, which are both reachable in about an hour.

Or make more of an adventure of it by going further afield and spending the night at the inns on the route that are happy to accommodate cyclists.

12. Guinguette sur Loire

On the left bank of the Loire, just by Pont Wilson, is where Tours’ “Guinguette” takes place from May to September.

It isn’t officially summer in Tours until this outdoor café by the river is bustling every evening with locals and tourists at the bar terrace, taking part in dance lessons, enjoying concerts or watching movies at the outdoor cinema.

Tours is a student city so the atmosphere is always warm and energetic.

The location is wonderful, under willow trees and string lights, with the river rolling past.

And every year there Guinguette has something new on the schedule.

13. Wine and Gastronmic Visits

If you’re a wine-lover you’ve come to the right place.

There’s an absurd amount of AOCs nearby: A dozen within an hour, and five bordering the city.

The diversity will make your head spin more than the wine itself, with the reds of Touraine-Chenonceau, the whites of Touraine Sauvignon and rosés made in Touraine noble joué.

When it comes to precious foodstuffs there’s a saffron market in Preuilly-sur-Claise and a seasonal truffle market at Marigny-Marmande.

The local cheese, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine is known to all for its cylindrical shape and the straw that pierces it through the centre.

To know more, pay a visit to the dairy at Les Passerelles or the child-friendly goat farm, Cabri au Lait, which makes Sainte-Maure but also has a petting zoo for the little guys and girls.

14. Château de Villandry

It would be criminal to visit Tours and not call in at one of the abundant château in the region.

Tours is touted as a gateway for these sensational pieces of French royal or noble heritage.

You can reach Villandry in 20 minutes, and it’s one of the finest.

The gardens are the showstopper at this château.

They were restored at the turn of the century by the Spanish doctor Joachim Carvallo.

He conceived several terraces of renaissance gardens, all with precisely trimmed boxwood hedges in joyous geometric configurations.

There’s a water garden, labyrinth, sun garden, ornamental garden with high hedges, but the most astounding is the formal medieval kitchen garden, all in neat plots.

15. Château d’Amboise

The home of Francis I and most of the French royalty in the 16th century is a 20-minute car or train ride to the east.

The château had its heyday in the renaissance period after Charles VIII turned it from a fortress into the Loire valley’s first Italian-style palace in the late-1400s.

In 1516 Francis I invited Leonardo da Vinci to live and work in Amboise, and the polymath’s home at Clos Lucé was actually connected to the Château d’Amboise by underground passageways that you can discover today by prior arrangement.

Da Vinci died here in 1519 and is buried at the Chapel of Saint-Hubert at the Château.

The gardens are embellished with spherical topiaries and the views from this spur above the Loire are divine.

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France):

• Tours Cathedral
• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours
• Tours Botanical Garden
• Le Vieux Tours
• Musée du Compagnonnage
• Hôtel Goüin
• Halles de Tours
• Jardin des Prébendes d'Oé
• Église Saint-Julien de Tours
• "Toue" River Cruises
• Loire à Vélo
• Guinguette sur Loire
• Wine and Gastronmic Visits
• Château de Villandry
• Château d'Amboise

• Accommodation
• Towns & Villages
• Places to visit
• Travel to France

More on Tours

Tours Cathedral

Tours Airport

   Blog-roll :

   S eptember in Tours                    From Loire Valley experiences

   T ourainissime.blogspot                Great post on the city of Tours

Bac k to towns & villages

The Good Life France

Everything You Want to Know About France and More...

What to see and do in historic Tours in the heart of the Loire Valley

• Janine Marsh
• Centre - Val de Loire

Tours in the department of Centre is the gateway city to the Loire Valley. It makes for a great base to visit the area. But, it’s a terrific place to visit in its own right with wide and grand avenues, a charming old town and Haussmanesque style architecture mixed with medieval, Renaissance and modern. In parts it’s reminiscent of Paris and has in fact been acting capital of France on more than one occasion.

The city centre has a lively air. The old part of town is home to a famous cathedral and winding cobbled streets lined with cafés and restaurants and half-timbered houses.

Discover museums, pretty streets to roam, quirky boutiques and lots of shops. There’s loads to do when you’re not tasting wine in vineyards or chateau hopping in the countryside around.

At just an hour from Paris by train it’s very easy to reach…

Cobbled streets and captivating cafés

Tours has a laidback vibe and nowhere is this more obvious than in the charming pedestrianised Place Plumereau in Vieux Tours (the old part of town). Once called the carroi aux chapeau, the hat market, it is lined with 15th century wood-framed and stone-gabled houses, many of them have been converted into cafés, bistros and restaurants.

This little square was voted the best place in France for an aperitif – it’s easy to see why. Tables and chairs spill out onto the square, colourful umbrellas add a splash of colour, an ancient mulberry tree presides. An exuberant atmosphere hangs over the square thanks to it being popular throughout the day for coffee, lunch, ice cream, aperitifs and dinner. Take your pick from a whole raft of excellent eateries (try Les Trois Rois for somewhere atmospheric, pretty and loved by the locals).

All round Place Plumereau are a hodgepodge of cobbled streets with more cafés, restaurants and shops.

Historic Tours

The Cathedral of Tours is a masterpiece of architecture ranging from flamboyant Gothic to Romanesque and Renaissance. There are some truly spectacular stained glass windows, some of them almost 800 years old. Started in 1239 it took some 300 years to complete and the charming cloisters of the Cathedral featured in Balzac’s Curé de Tours (the character of Madame Garnard lived there).

Inside, a marble tomb is the last resting place of the heirs to the Valois dynasty, the young sons of Charles VIII and Anne of Bretagne. When Charles VIII died (1498) she married his cousin, Louis XII, as he wanted her lands. He had to divorce his wife Jeanne who was interrogated in Tours by church judges who ruled the marriage had never been consummated. The result left him free to marry Anne (Jeanne was later canonised to became Saint Joan of Valois). Anne and Louis had two daughters, one of whom married Francis I, which led to the formal union of France and Brittany.

Where old Tours meets new Tours

There really are enough historic buildings here to please the most ardent history lover. Don’t miss the Musée de Beaux Arts which is located in the former Archbishop’s Palace. It houses a wonderful collection of paintings, ceramics and furnishings including silk panels. Tours was once a thriving silk production centre with 20,000 weavers, after Louis XI (King from 1461-1483) moved production from Lyons saying people were too lazy there.

It’s a mix of old and new here. And they’re not done yet. There’s an ongoing programme of opening up walkways along the river, providing more places to eat, drink and shop. In 2017 a brand new and unique art centre opened, the Centre de Création Contemporaine Olivier Debré . It is contemporary, innovative and hosts mesmerising exhibitions.

And, bringing the old and new together, visit the Atelier d’Ofard , where wallpaper is made by hand to the old methods used in the 17th century. If you’ve ever wondered how the amazing wallpaper you see in Chateaux, such as in the bedroom of Marie-Antoinette at Versailles, then this visit reveals the secrets and history of wallpaper making using wooden blocks and hand mixed pigment. It’s a unique and fascinating tour.

All this discovery builds up an appetite. Luckily you’re in the right place to truly indulge – click here to read about where to eat out in Tours , the places the locals love!

Practical Information for Tours

Top tip : Book tours of chateaux from the tourist office. Many of the greats are easily accessible from here, Chenonceau, Villandry and Chambord to mention just a few.

Where to stay : Splash out and indulge at the 4* Hotel Oceania L’Univers . This historic hotel has welcome Rockefeller, Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway amongst many prestigious guests. Wonderfully plush, old school glamour, in a fabulous location and friendly staff. (Parking available).

Great value at Le Grand Tours . There’s a range of rooms styles (and prices) in a terrific art deco building. Friendly staff and conveniently close to Tours station.

Get there : Train from Paris takes a little over an hour.

What to see nearby : Chateau de Chenonceau, the castle of flowers which you can reach by train. You can also take a train to Amboise and Blois from here…

For more information on what to see and do in Tours visit the tourist office: 78-82 Rue Bernard Palissy www.tours-tourism.co.uk

For more information on what to do in the Loire Valley see: www.loirevalley-france.co.uk ;  uk.france.fr

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Parking Tours Halles Vieux Tours - Indigo

Véhicules adaptés.

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Caractéristiques.

• Parking intérieur
• Parking souterrain
• Accès piéton adapté en mobilité réduite
• Vidéo surveillance
• Entrées et sorties illimitées
• Prolongation non disponible

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Réservation et location parking tours - halles vieux tours - indigo.

Ce parking Tours est situé au centre-ville. Il vous permettra de découvrir la ville de Tours et les lieux d’intérêts à proximité en toute sérénité.

À voir / À faire à proximité du parking Tours - Halles Vieux Tours - Indigo

Grâce à ce parking Indigo Tours vous pourrez vous rendre en quelques minutes à l’hôpital CHRU Gatien de Clocheville. A 9 minutes de ce parking pas cher vous trouverez la mairie de Tours et l’hôtel de police.

Les plus gourmands trouveront à proximité de ce bon plan parking Tours les restaurants suivants : Tahina, La Maison des Halles et L’Embellie. Si vous désirez plus de repas rapide, Mcdonald's et O’Tacos se situent à moins de 6 minutes de marche.

Si vous souhaitez faire du shopping, Galeries Lafayette est situé à 9 minutes à pied. Vous pourrez vous garer facilement dans ce parking pour une longue ou courte durée et profiter de votre shopping en toute tranquillité. Les tarifs de ce parking vous permettront de faire des économies et d’éviter le stress du stationnement dans la rue.

Côté pratique, le clinique vétérinaire des docteurs Guiraud, Bodet et Hardy SCP, Carrefour City et Basilique Saint Martin se situent à 6 minutes à pied.

Transports et routes à proximité du parking Tours - Halles Vieux Tours - Indigo

Le quartier : Rue du Clocheville, Rue Chanoineau, Boulevard Béranger, Rue Rabelais.

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Travelish Tours

Carrefour City Center Mall shopping tour

• start from $ 3.75 deposit

Description

Travelish tours representative will meet you at your hotel and take you to begin your shopping tour in carrefour city mall, it collected more than 50,000 different products under one roof. it has everything you need from food, personal care, communication and entertainment. to have a huge sale areas and enjoy the high quality standards of the hypermarket, in addition to providing the best quality products for the lowest prices. during your tour you will have lunch at local restaurant, finally you will be back to your hotel / cruise. schedule: everyday duration: approx. 4-5 hours pickup time: 9:00am - we can change the time to suit you..

• name: Carrefour City Center Mall shopping tour
• Duration: 5 hours

you will visit

Hotel pickup and drop off All transfers by private AC van Bottled water & soft drink& launch English speaking escort assistance All taxes and service charges

Any extra Items

Payment: In cash to the guide whom you meet in the morning of the same day, US dollars, Euro, GBP, or EGP. Group Quote Request: How do I request a group quote from (travelishtours.com)? Just send us Email [email protected]. Be prepared to provide your travel dates, number of seats, departure and arrival cities for any flights. Do you have a specific budget, flexible dates/times or any other specific requirements? Let us know. Your Groups Specialist who will contact you within 24 hours. • Group: According to airline standards, a group consists of 10 or more individuals traveling together.

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Prepare your stay

Activities & Visits

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In Tours, castles are at the bottom of the garden

In Tours, the wind is in our sails

In tours, there's always something to taste.

In Tours, we weigh anchor in moderation

In Tours, we keep an eye on the past

Goût de Tours magazine

For a truly memorable stay in Touraine, see our irresistible offers in order to discover, explore and savour the region! Châteaux, gardens, art, vineyards and gastronomy, you'll find the essence of your stay here…

Visit the castles of the Loire

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In Tours, the castles are at the bottom of the garden

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3 days in Tours and in Touraine

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48h with the City Pass

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Duration : 1h30 - Price : 10€ The Tours Loire Valley Tourist Office and the city of Tours offer a thematic tour of the Old Town of Tours, led by a guide. A guided tour of the emblematic Vieux Tours district around Place Plumereau, led by an expert guide.  Medieval half-timbered and stone houses stand side by side with exceptional townhouses. These mansions bear witness to the prosperity of this part of town, which grew up around a huge collegiate church dedicated to Saint Martin. Once home to the saint's body, it was the center of one of the oldest pilgrimages in Christendom. This tour has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label.

Explore the enchantment from 2 December 2023 to 7 January 2024, when seven of the most prestigious historic jewels - Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau, Chinon, Langeais, Loches and Villandry - light up to celebrate the festive season. Immerse yourself in magical settings and discover the magic of Christmas, a captivating experience for all ages. For the duration of the event, take advantage of special rates with the 3, 5 and 7 Châteaux Pass to explore these magnificent sites, and grab exclusive offers from our local partners. Let yourself be carried away by the enchantment of Christmas and create magical memories at every turn.

Enjoy the destination's must-see attractions: Castle and Gardens of Villandry, Castle of Azay-le-Rideau, Castle of Tours, Centre of Contemporary Creation Olivier Debré, Fine Arts Museum, « Compagnonnage » Museum, Natural History Museum, Saint-Cosme Priory, Psalette Cloister and a guided tour of Tours. This 48h Pass also includes bike hire, access to the little tourist train (available end of March 2024) and exclusive benefits from our partners (e.g. €3 discount per player with Escape Yourself, 10% discount in the pub « Au temps des Rois »)

Discover the Loire Valley and visit its 2 most prestigious castles in one great day: impressive Château de Chambord and stunning Château de Chenonceau. Learn about the intimate little secrets of the French Kings who once lived there. Enjoy off-the-crowd panoramic views thanks to your local guide, benefit from wealth of thrilling genuine details and funny anecdotes and make the most of this exciting day. Program: 9.30am: Departure from Tours. Meet your friendly guide in front of the Tourist Office in the city of Tours (just in front of the train station). Everybody's here? Let’s start the day! 9:30am: Start in front of the Tourist Office in the city of Tours, and get into our minivan, off to Chenonceau! Next step is Château de Chenonceau! On the way, get a good look at lovely privately owned châteaux but also other must-see castles of Loire Valley such as: Cheverny, Chaumont, Amboise, Montrichard... Chenonceau: this is the most visited historical monument in France after Château de Versailles. Admire this stunning chateau and its unique gallery, built on a bridge across the Cher River. With your guide, stroll through the gorgeously-manicured gardens à la Française named after the famous ladies who lived there: "Catherine de Médicis" and "Diane de Poitiers". Once inside, take your time to appreciate the refined architecture and feminine influence that prevails in each room of this renowned chateau, all decorated with beautiful antiques and the most divine fresh flower arrangements. The kitchens, the Queen bedroom, the Gallery... your tour guide will show you all the beautiful rooms of this incredible place. Lunch will take place off the beaten path. You will enjoy a typical French lunch in a lovely private château of Loire Valley, built by Jean le Breton! Start with the visit of this unique familly Château, meet the family and discover all the authentic rooms and lovely surroundings of this haven of piece. After the visit, hosted by the French Countess who lives there permanently, indulge in the nice and cozy atmosphere with tasty food and local Loire Valley wine. This experience will make you feel like the owner of the place! More than a chateau, this work of art is a glorious historical place that will take you to the heart of the Loire Valley and the Renaissance era. Your guide will make this trip back in time a fun and captivating experience. He will tell you everything about the history of the castle, built by the famous King François 1er. Unforgettable! Once inside, your guide will select for you the most emblematic rooms to visit: the double helix staircase, the chapel, the terrace...He will also share with you memorable anecdotes and point at hidden details of interest and breathtaking views of the château. So get ready to travel back in time of French Renaissance! After this exceptional visit, your tour-guide will advise you some spots to get a impressive view of the chateau. A spectacular day you will never forget. 5.30pm: Back to the Tourist Office in Tours

Duration : 45mn - Price : from 50 € Come aboard a tuk-tuk for an original tour of the city of Tours! For 45 minutes, Pascal will be delighted to take you to discover the city's most emblematic sites: the old town of Tours, Les Halles, the Quartier des Arts, the Basilica Saint-Martin and, of course, the riverside of the Loire.

Events calendar

Here, events come and go and none is alike other ! The metropolis know how to cultivate its art of living. Numbers of events from traditionnal and old music, to gastronomy or sport are organized throughtout all seasons. This eclectic program also allows to discover some nice historic, or out the ordinary, places.

Tours Loire Valley Tourist Office & Convention Bureau

How to come? What weather in Tours? Where to leave my luggage? Find all practical information here.

The Tourist Office is located: 78-82 Rue Bernard Palissy, 37000 Tours.

Monday to Saturday: 8.30am to 7pm Sundays and public holidays: 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 5pm

For any information, please reach our team +33(0)2 47 70 37 37

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• Guided tour

Old Arbat District: the Art Quarter

• Description
• Choose date

Holidays are bright and colourful, we all love them because they form a ray of light amongst the grey monotony of the daily grind. Arbat is a real street-holiday, where it is always noisy and fun: people meet, walk, watch the performances of talented street artists with clowns, singers and dancers strutting their stuff. Right on the pavement, artists proudly exhibit their works.

There is a very special atmosphere here that has long attracted representatives of the creative intelligentsia. L. Tolstoy and S. Yesenin, A. Pushkin and his young wife N. Goncharov, A. Blok and B. Pasternak are fondly remembered by the hallowed paving stones along Arbat. It is of no surprise that the heroes of the famous novel ‘War and Peace’ were ‘registered’.

We would like to invite you to take a walk with us along the historic Old Arbat! We will talk about the history and architecture of the most romantic street in Moscow.

• You will hear a lot of interesting facts about the grand houses that were located here and their wealthy residents.
• You will learn how a once inexpensive inn for carriage drivers has since turned into one of the best restaurants in the capital!
• You will see the famous house where A. Pushkin and N. Goncharova spent their honeymoon and stand at the wall dedicated to the memory of post punk/new wave icon Viktor
• You will be carried away down the beautiful side streets such as: Bolshaya Afanasyevsky, Nikolopeskovsky, Filippovsky, Krivoarbatsky. In a bygone era, these streets were part of Arbat and were bustling with its spirit.

B.Okudzhava dedicated some of his lyrical poems to Arbat, his favourite street from childhood. A. Rybakov, author of the famous novel ‘Children of the Arbat’ also lived here. There is also a little corner of Bulgakov's Moscow on Arbat - the former Torgsin store (now the ‘The Seventh Continent’), where the novel ‘The Master and Margarita’ unfolded.

Every house on Arbat is a piece of history, and we will dive into this history head first.

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Meeting point. We'll pick you up at your hotel

Arbatskaya Square

The Porokhovschikov House

"Praga" Restaurant

Alexander Pushkin memorial apartment

Vakhtangov Theatre

Old-time mansions

The Melnikov House

End of tour

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• Excursion Old Arbat District: the Art Quarter
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Russia’s Two Capitals: Moscow and St. Petersburg 6 Days | Moscow, St. Petersburg

Discover the historic capital city of Moscow and Peter the Great’s elegant St. Petersburg on this 6-day tour of Russia’s two most famous cities. See beautiful churches and monasteries, magnificent Imperial palaces, and impressive Soviet monuments while learning about the rich history and culture of this fascinating country. Highlights include admiring the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral from Moscow’s famous Red Square, experiencing the world’s largest collection of Russian fine art, taking a walking tour of St. Petersburg’s canals, churches, and other monuments, exploring the Peterhof Palace’s impressive fountains and gardens, and discovering the old centre of maritime trade and defence at Kronstadt.