10 reasons to choose Tours for weekends and vacations

1. Okay, visiting the chateaux of the Loire Valley is a must!

Tours is the ideal place to set up base camp and explore the châteaux of the Loire. And you can stay as long as you like, since there are no fewer than 50 châteaux within a 100 km radius! Summer is the perfect season for unusual experiences: the Night of a Thousand Fires at Villandry, wine tasting at Château de Chenonceau, evening strolls at Clos Lucé, panoramic picnics at Château d'Amboise or jazz aperitifs at Château de l'Islette, the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire... the choice is yours!

2. Cycling on the Loire à Vélo

The Loire à Vélo cycle route celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. It's the perfect opportunity to try out this cycle route from Tours, which runs alongside the Loire, of course, but also the Cher!

On the Cher side, cycle 22.2 km to the famous Château de Villandry. Don't miss a stop at the boaters' village of Savonnières, and the travelling guinguette “La Soupette à Mémère” in summer. To return: by bike for the bravest, or via Druye station.

Pedal 28.7 km to Amboise along the Loire to discover its royal castle, picturesque lanes (with a Sunday market) and take a well-deserved break at Maison Bigot, the unmissable tearoom. For the return journey: meet at the station on the other side of the bridge.

3. Tasting Loire wines

At the heart of France's 3rd largest vineyard, the Touraine area boasts some 100 tourist wineries.Estate visits, wine tastings, meetings with winegrowers: here, we know how to welcome lovers of fine vintages and discoverers of small vintages. At the crossroads of the Montlouis, Touraine, Vouvray and Chinon appellations, Tours is THE new destination for a wine tour along the water and the châteaux!

4. Enjoy a boat trip on the Loire or Cher rivers

Yes, in Tours you'll have the wind at your back! Aboard a gabarre or a toue cabanée, traditional Loire boats, embark for a full relax moment in the heart of nature, just a stone's throw from the city. On the program: a sightseeing tour, an aperitif on the water or a guided discovery of biodiversity!

5. Have a drink at the “best place for aperitifs”

Aperitifs are always a convincing argument! Lonely Planet ranked our Place Plumereau as the “Best place for an aperitif”, and we agree! A square surrounded by half-timbered houses where you can soak up the effervescence of Touraine life (especially on Thursday evenings...).

6. Go from guinguette to guinguette and enjoy the gentle way of life

As soon as the weather turns warm, the guinguettes return to the banks of the Loire and Cher rivers. Festive, family-friendly, intimate and always natural, you'll be able to explore them to your heart's content. Don't miss: the Guinguette de Tours sur Loire, THE festive meeting place for Touraine residents! Right in the heart of the city, you're guaranteed to unwind and enjoy the atmosphere.

7. Test the gourmet tables and taste the best rillettes in France

Tours is no International City of Gastronomy by chance... Elevated to the rank of Garden of France by kings for the richness of its soil and the mildness of its climate, Touraine boasts a culinary heritage that has been carefully handed down and nurtured. To convince you, here are just a few of the renowned addresses that have seduced the palate of the “Guide Michelin”: l'Opidom in Fondettes, l'Evidence in Montbazon, l'Auberge du XIIème siècle in Saché, l'Auberge Pom'Poire in Azay-le-Rideau and le château de Pray in Amboise, l'Epine in Azay-le-Rideau and les Arpents in Amboise. And it's above all in Tours that you'll taste the best rillettes in France, whatever some of our neighbors may say! 😊

8. Sleep in “wahoo” accommodation

In and around Tours, you'll find unique accommodations: a troglodyte gîte, a hotel with a view of the Opera House, a château where a Prince Gardener collects tomatoes, an ultra-deco hotel a stone's throw from the train station, a cosy farmhouse in the countryside... let yourself be surprised!

9. Applaud the European champion volleyball team

Not every city can boast a European champion team (in 2017) and a French champion team (9 titles won!), which is one of the most impressive achievements in French volleyball. So imagine the atmosphere at Salle Grenon on match night! And if you're more into field hockey, the Remparts team will put on a great show, and if you're into handball, don't miss a match with the Chambray-les-Tours women's team!

10. Discover the city through street art

Tours is a playground for local and international artists, who take over streets, buildings, parking lots and even hotels! The Tourist Office is offering 3 guided street art tours to discover the works of the “Blumonday” collective, Gil KD and his famous “filles du vent”, the poetic works of Monsieur Plume and the mosaics of MifaMosa. From December to February 2025, the Color Festival will also be based in Tours, in a former historic hotel transformed into a 300 m² contemporary art gallery!

Need more to convince you?

Tours also has something for art and history lovers, with a center for contemporary creation (CCC OD), a private mansion that hosts temporary exhibitions (Hôtel Goüin), a photo exhibition venue in partnership with the Jeu de Paume in Paris (Château de Tours), the Musée du Compagnonnage, which houses a collection of masterpieces by the Compagnons du Tour de France, and the Fine Art Museum.

And as you stroll through the streets of Tours, you'll be greeted by a contemporary work of art: Xavier Veilhan's monster, adopted by the people of Tours.

So, see you soon in Tours?