castle
Château de Villandry
The last of the great Renaissance châteaux built along the Loire, famed for its spectacular ornamental and vegetable gardens.
16 km · about 30 min drive
Centre-Val de Loire, France · Europe
Tours works well as a base: 10 minutes from Saint-Avertin, 16km from Château de Villandry.
Tours is a city located in Centre-Val de Loire, France. With a population of 141,621, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Tours sits in France, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Paris time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Tours to your route.
Tours ( TOOR; French: [tuʁ] ) is the largest city in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 138,668 inhabitants as of 2022 while the population of the whole metropolitan area was 526,370.
Tours sits on the lower reaches of theRead more
Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Formerly named Caesarodunum by its founder, Roman Emperor Augustus, it possesses one of the largest amphitheaters of the Roman Empire, the Tours Amphitheatre. Known for the Battle of Tours in 732 AD, it is a National Sanctuary with connections to the Merovingians and the Carolingians, with the Capetians making the kingdom's currency the Livre tournois. Saint Martin and Gregory of Tours were from Tours. Tours was once part of Touraine, a former province of France. Tours was the first city of the silk industry. It was taken by Louis XI, as the royal capital under the Valois Kings with its Loire castles and city of art with the School of Tours. The prefecture was partially destroyed during the French Wars of Religion in the late 16th century and again during the Second World War in June 1940.
The historical centre of Tours is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is also home to the Vieux-Tours, a patrimonial site. The garden city has a green heritage and its urban landscape has been strongly influenced by its natural space. The historic city is nicknamed the "White and Blue City" and "Le Petit Paris". The city is a university city with more than 30,000 students in 2019. Tours is a popular culinary city with specialties such as rillettes, rillons, Touraine vineyards, AOC Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine cheeses and nougats. The city is also the end-point of the annual Paris–Tours cycle race. The region, due to its history and culture, has always been a place of birth or home to many personalities and international sporting events.
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Tours offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Tours is located in Centre-Val de Loire, France, Europe. The coordinates are 47.3948 latitude, 0.7040 longitude.
Tours has a population of approximately 141,621 people, making it a city in France.
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Full driving guide for France5 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
The last of the great Renaissance châteaux built along the Loire, famed for its spectacular ornamental and vegetable gardens.
16 km · about 30 min drive
castle
A royal chateau perched above the Loire where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years and is buried in the chapel.
21 km · about 25 min drive
castle
A jewel of French Renaissance architecture set on an island in the Indre River, reflected perfectly in its surrounding moat.
23 km · about 25 min drive
castle
An elegant château spanning the River Cher in the Loire Valley, known as the Ladies' Castle for the women who shaped its history.
29 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
France's most celebrated zoo in the Loire Valley home to giant pandas and one of Europe's largest animal collections.
52 km · about 60 min drive
April to October
Other places to explore near Tours.
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