Free walking tours in Tours and what to see

Must-sees

Tours stands on the Loire, in the Indre-et-Loire department, and its old town is easy to explore on foot. Its heart is Place Plumereau, surrounded by half-timbered houses and full of café terraces, and around it spreads Vieux Tours, with lanes, courtyards and medieval façades. Nearby are the Basilica of Saint-Martin, which holds the saint’s tomb, and the Charlemagne Tower, a remnant of the old basilica.

On the other side of the centre stands the Gothic cathedral of Saint-Gatien, with an ornate façade, old stained glass and a cloister, La Psalette. Next to it, the Museum of Fine Arts occupies the former archbishop’s palace, with a garden dominated by a huge cedar. To end the day, stroll along the Loire and cross the Pont Wilson to see the city from the river.

Free tours and guided visits

Tours has a free walking tour of the old town and also a guided tour of the city, two easy ways to get your bearings on the first day. But the big draw is the trips to the Loire châteaux: there are outings to Chambord and Chenonceau, and others to Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau, with gardens and a château on the water. Some of these trips add a stop at a winery to taste local wines.

How long to spend

The city can be seen in a day: the morning for the cathedral, the Museum of Fine Arts and the river, and the afternoon for Vieux Tours and Place Plumereau, which gets very lively after dark. What makes people stay longer is the châteaux. With three or four days you can use Tours as a base and do a trip each day, alternating the most visited châteaux with gardens and villages in the valley.

Where to stay

To enjoy the atmosphere, the best area is Vieux Tours or its edges, near Place Plumereau, with small hotels and apartments in old buildings. If you are after peace and quiet, the cathedral area is calmer and just as central. Next to Tours station, where many trips and regional trains leave from, there are practical hotels for getting around the Loire Valley.