Tours
・Old town lined with half-timbered houses
・Magnificent Gothic cathedral
【City description】
It’s a town between Loire river and Cher river. We stay in this town to visit other castles. In the epoch of Louis 11th, this town was the French capital. We can find traditional woody buildings in the old area.
【Overall rating】
★★★☆☆
【Time required】
4h30
【Budget】
13.20 euros
【Fatigue】
★★★☆☆
【Map and access to the Loire region】
①Orléans: The town where Joan of Arc was active
②Chambord: The largest castle in the Loire
③Blois: A rare castle that incorporates various architectural styles
④Beauregard: A castle with portraits and lapis lazuli
⑤Cheverny: A homely castle
⑥Chaumont-sur-Loire: A castle that hosts the International Garden Festival
⑦Amboise: The town where Da Vinci spent his later years
⑧Chenonceau: A castle run by a female lord that spans the river
⑨Loches: A town where beautiful women lived
⑩Tours: A base town for travel in this region
⑪Langeais: A town with the oldest remaining fortress in France
⑫Azay-le-Rideau: A beautiful castle that stands out on the water
⑬Chinon: The town of Joan of Arc and wine
⑭Saumur: A castle on a hill and a town of horse riding
⑮Angers: A castle with the world’s largest tapestry
⑯Nantes: A large town with an island of machines
Tours can be reached by train in approximately 1.5 hours from Paris’ Montparnasse station.
Check here for area information around Tours ! !
【Contents】
★=Must-see spots
◎=Recommended spots
Itinerary Map
Navigation
【Start】①Tours Station
★Go to Bernard Palissy St in front of the station.
②Tourist Information Center★Continue to walk on the street and turn right when you arrive at a park. It takes 10 minutes.
③Art Museum★Go to Lavoisier St in front of the museum.
④St-Gatien Cathedral★Continue to walk on the street for 5 minutes.
⑤Tours Castle★Go straight on Colbert St to visit the center street. There are many restaurants. It takes 15 minutes.
⑥Saint-Julien Basilic★Continue to walk on the street for 10 minutes.
⑦Plumereau Square★Go to Change St and turn left at the end.
⑧Charlemagne Tower⑨St-Martin Basilic
⑨St-Martin Basilic★Go to the street in front of the tower and turn right when you arrive at Nationale St with the tramway rail. It takes 20 minutes.
⑩Jean Jaurès Square★Go to Heurteloup Boulevard to return to the station. It takes 10 minutes.
【Goal】Tours Station
・If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information.
・You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).
【Start】
①Tours Station
Gare de Tours
★Go to Bernard Palissy St in front of the station.
②Tourist Information Center
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Click here to collect information such as maps. You can book a tour of the castles of the Loire here.
★Continue to walk on the street and turn right when you arrive at a park. It takes 10 minutes.
③Art Museum★
Musée des Beaux-Arts
Time required: 60 min
Admission fee: 8.40 euros
Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm
(open at 9h30 am on Monday)
Close: Tuesday, 1/1, 5/1, 7/14, 11/1, 11/11, 12/25
This museum was built in a renovated 17th century bishop’s palace. For this reason, there are many rooms in the mansion that are decorated with works of art. The flowers in the garden are in full bloom in the spring, and the design changes every year. A model of an elephant that once came to this town is displayed at the entrance to the site.
★Go to Lavoisier St in front of the museum.
④St-Gatien Cathedral★
Cathédral St-Gatien
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 9 am – 7 pm
Close: No
This is a Gothic cathedral completed in the 16th century. As it took centuries to complete, it incorporates many different architectural styles. The stained glass is very beautiful, and there are various religious paintings and patterns on it, so it’s worth seeing. You can enter the adjacent corridor for a fee and view special exhibitions.
★Continue to walk on the street for 5 minutes.
⑤Tours Castle
Château de Tours
Time required: 30 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 2 pm – 6 pm
Close: Monday
This castle is located very close to the Loire River and is notable for its adjacent tower. It is small compared to other castles in this region, and currently holds special exhibitions.
★Go straight on Colbert St to visit the center street. There are many restaurants. It takes 15 minutes.
⑥Saint-Julien Basilic
Basilique Saint-Julien
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
The church is located right next to a bridge over the Loire River, and the interior is not open to the public. Nearby is the Musée du Compagnonnage, where the masterpieces of artisans are exhibited, so if you are interested, please stop by.
Companionship Museum
Musée du Compagnonnage
Time required: 60 min
Admission fee: 6.20 euros
Opening hour: 9 am – 12h30 pm / 2 pm – 6 pm
Close: 1/1, 5/1, 7/14, 11/1, 11/11, 12/25
★Continue to walk on the street for 10 minutes.
⑦Plumereau Square★
Place Plumereau
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
It is the most prosperous square in the old town, lined with half-timbered houses, and is always crowded with people. There are many restaurants in this area, so it’s a good idea to have a meal around here.
Let’s Enjoy the Famous Dishes of Tours! !
Tours has a specialty called the bushel. It is made with sheep kidney, beef, pork, and mushrooms stewed in a mustard and cream sauce. When I had it at a restaurant, it was placed on top of pasta. Check out other Loire region specialties here! !
★Go to Change St and turn left at the end.
⑧Charlemagne Tower
Tour Charlemagne
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
It’s not accessible in the interior.
★As you walk along the street in front of the tower, you will see the church on your left.
⑨St-Martin Basilic◎
Basilique St-Martin
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 7h30 am – 7 pm
(until 9 pm in summer)
Close: No
Both ⑧ and ⑨ were originally part of the same church, but the Basilica of Saint-Martin was rebuilt in the 19th century after being destroyed by fire many times and remains. Tower ⑧ dates from the 12th century and incorporates Romanesque style. The interior of the cathedral is wide with a dome-shaped ceiling, and has a splendid structure with marble columns and red Virgin Roads. Materials introducing the life of Saint Martin, for whom this church is named, are also displayed. The underground chapel is also a highlight.
★Go to the street in front of the tower and turn right when you arrive at Nationale St with the tramway rail. It takes 20 minutes.
⑩Jean Jaurès Square
Place Jean Jaurès
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is the square where the courthouse and city hall are located. Both buildings are magnificent and worth seeing.
★Go to Heurteloup Boulevard to return to the station. It takes 10 minutes.
【Goal】
Tours Station
Useful Links for Travel
【Hotel Reservations】
ExpediaThere is a lot of great hotel deals listed, and you can read comments from people from all over the world. You can also book these together with your flight.
Hotels.comThere is also a lot of hotel information here. Another great thing is that many of them offer no cancellation fees.
This world-famous hotel booking site has a huge number of listings, so you can find the hotel you like. If you become a member and stay many times, you can get discounts and get even better deals.
【Flight Reservations】
ExpediaIt is a world-famous travel site. It is convenient because you can also purchase domestic air tickets.
【Attractions and Tours】
klookThis is a convenient site where you can book tickets and tours to tourist spots around the world. Be sure to check it out as they sometimes offer discounts.
Other Cities Recommended in Loire
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