Tours, France Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Loire_Indre_Tours2_tango7174.jpg Author: Tango7174
Tours is a city in the wine-producing Centre region of France. With a city population of around 142,000 people and a metropolitatn population of close to 310,000, it is the biggest city in the Centre region of France. It is however not the provincial capital - that honour goes to the city of Orléans.
During the Second World War, Tours served for a brief period of four day (10-13 June, 1940) as the seat of the French government before it was moved to Bordeaux - and just as well, for the Germans began heavy bombing of the city centre on 20-22 June, causing a fire that destroyed much of the inner city. Many important structures were lost in the blaze.
The post war history of Tours is marked by its charismatic mayor Jean Royer, whose conservation policies inspired a law in France for the safeguarding of historic city centres. Visitors to Tours will still be able to explore a restored city centre with its cathedral and other historic sights.
Hôtel de Ville, Tours Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tours,_H%C3%B4tel_de_Ville.JPG Author: Parsifall
Going to Tours
I recommend taking the TGV high-speed train from Paris. It costs €40 one way and takes about an hour to reach the city from the Paris Montparnasse railway station. If you are driving to Tours, take the A10 motorway from Paris and the A85 from Nantes.
Exploring Tours
The inner core of Tours isn't a big area, so the best way to cover it is by walking.
Places of Interest in Tours
Cathédrale St-Gatien 13th century cathedral completed in the 16th century with a Gothic façe;ade.
Château de Chenonceau A beautiful palace created by a series of aristocratic women, located near Tours.
Château de Montpoupon 15th century castle just outside Tours.
Eglise St-Julien Church with Gothic monastic cells and chapterhouse containing a wine museum.
Musée des Beaux Arts Fine art museum housed in the former palace of the archbishop.
Musée du Compagnonnage Museum exhibiting works by master craftsmen of the guilds.
Place Plumereau The loveliest pedestrianized area in Tours, lined with cafés, boutiques and galleries.
Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.
While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.
Tours, France
Hôtel de Ville, Tours
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