In Tours, there's always something to taste
Touraine, a wine-growing region par excellence, offers landscapes where the vines stretch as far as the eye can see and vintages whose fame extends beyond national borders. Awaken your senses: the wines of the Loire Valley have more than enough to surprise you!
From vine to glass, via the cellar
At the heart of France's 3rd largest vineyard, Touraine boasts around a hundred tourist wineries. Visits to wineries, oenology and wine-tasting are just some of the major attractions of this destination. The subsoils, made up of white tuffeau chalk, clay-limestone and tuff, produce full-bodied, powerful wines. Dry whites here are generally light and fresh, while reds are light and fruity.
Here are a few ways to discover all the flavours:
Échappées en Loire: where hiking and terroir meet
Échappées en Loire offers 13 tasty walks through the vineyards of the Loire Valley, from Blois to Nantes. In a friendly atmosphere, you'll stroll through vineyards as far as the eye can see, accompanied by winegrowers who will help you discover their trade. These 3-hour strolls are punctuated by fun and gourmet breaks, including tastings of local vintages. Shorter tours are available for families.
To make the most of these events, we offer all-inclusive packages:
![Un terroir d’exception pour les bonnes tables !]()
An exceptional terroir for fine dining!
Tours has also been awarded the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie label, and its restaurants offer cuisine that is universal, creative, accessible and, above all, resolutely respectful of the environment and its produce. Located in the heart of the "Garden of France", the chefs benefit from an inexhaustible network of producers within a radius of forty kilometres. Naturally, local produce, respect for seasonality and attention to healthy raw materials are the order of the day. Chefs, wine-growers, fishermen, farmers and market-gardeners are all keen to share their unwavering commitment to local produce and terroirs, renewing the tradition of eating and drinking well that is so dear to Touraine.
A few not-to-be-missed places to sample Touraine
1. Take a trip to Les Halles de Tours
Almost forty craftsmen (cheese makers, greengrocers, bakers, wine merchants, caterers, etc.) make up this gastronomic heart of the capital, which is open every day, even mornings on Sundays and public holidays.
2. Try the local specialities
Tours nougat, Sainte Maure de Touraine, Tours rillettes... as in every region, there's no shortage of specialities! Our picks: Boulangerie de la Scellerie in the Rue des Antiquaires, the cheese shop run by Rodolphe Le Meunier, winner of the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France and World Champion in 2007, and the Hardouin charcuterie in Les Halles.
3. Choose your market
In Touraine, eating well is an art of living, as evidenced by all the local fruit and vegetable markets in the city. Every day, local producers sell their seasonal produce in a variety of locations. Find the map of weekly markets on tours-metropole.fr
4. Treat yourself to an aperitif on the water
Tours also has a wild river and traditional boats. What could be better than a sunset tasting on a gabare to soak up the gentle atmosphere of Tours?
5. Go to a guinguette
Tours sur Loire, Tours sur Plage, Port Avertin, la guinguette de Rochecorbon, à la soupette de Mémère... each guinguette has its own world and its own choice of local specialities to enjoy on the banks of the Loire or Cher!
6. Have a drink on the terrace in Tours:
Check out our 5 spots for a drink on the terrace
7. Discover the city through its gastronomy:
Would you like to take a gourmet tour of Tours, including some unusual tastings? We've got it covered!
