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Voykit pocket guide · France
Tours
Base in Tours 2–3 nights for the old town and one or two châteaux; add a car or a Loire à Vélo day only if you want three or more.
Tours is the largest city in Centre-Val de Loire and the practical base for the Loire châteaux: Chenonceau, Chambord, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau are all within about an hour. The centre is compact and walkable between the Loire and the Cher, with two cathedrals, good museums and a serious food and wine scene. Most travellers use it as a 2–3 night hub rather than a sightseeing city in itself.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and crowds), Nov–Mar (many châteaux on shorter hours)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €100–160 excl. bed · High €180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €1.50–3 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €13–18 |
| Dinner, mid-range, per person | €20–35 |
| Glass of Touraine wine | €4–7 |
| Fil Bleu single tram/bus fare | €1.50 |
| Museum entry (Musée des Beaux-Arts) | €6 |
| Taxi TUF airport to centre | €15–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TUF · Tours Val de Loire
- 5 km (3.1 mi) north of the centre; taxi to the centre about €15–20. Nearest tram stop Vaucanson is a 20-min walk.3.1 mi (5 km) north of the centre; taxi to the centre about €15–20. Nearest tram stop Vaucanson is a 20-min walk.
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- TGV direct to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps in about 2 h, then the 5-min shuttle to Tours centre.
- ORY · Paris Orly
- No direct rail link; reach Paris Montparnasse first, then TGV to Tours in just over 1 h.
Typical fares
- Fil Bleu single fare
- €1.50, valid 1 h with transfers
- Fil Bleu day pass
- €3.70
- TGV Paris Montparnasse → Tours
- about €50 each way, just over 1 h
- Taxi TUF airport → centre
- €15–20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Central Tours is compact and pedestrian-friendly: most of the old town, the cathedral and the river are within a 20-minute walk. Fil Bleu runs one tram line (Tram A), buses and the 5-minute shuttle train between Tours and Saint-Pierre-des-Corps stations. A single fare is €1.50 with an hour of transfers; a day pass is €3.70. Validate your ticket on the blue reader every time you board — inspectors fine fare-evaders on the spot. Bikes are the best way to reach the châteaux: Tours sits on the Loire à Vélo route.
See and do
Known for
- Loire Valley châteaux base
- Cathédrale Saint-Gatien
- Basilica of Saint Martin
- Old town (Vieux Tours) and Place Plumereau
- Touraine wines and rillettes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chenonceaux (Château de Chenonceau) | Train from Tours to Chenonceaux, about 25–30 min, then a short walk | About 1 h |
| Chambord | No direct train; car about 1 h, or a seasonal bus/tour from Tours | 1–1.5 h by car |
| Villandry | Car about 25 min, or bike along the Loire à Vélo | About 45 min by bike |
| Azay-le-Rideau | Car about 35 min, or train to Azay-le-Rideau then a 15-min walk | About 1 h |
| Orléans | Train from Tours, about 1 h | About 1.25 h |
| Bourges | Train from Tours, about 1.5–2 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Vieux Tours / Place Plumereau
- Half-timbered old town, bars and restaurants on the doorstep; noisier at weekends.
- Around the station (Gare de Tours)
- Best for a one-night rail stop; tram and bus hub, 10–15 min walk to the old town.
- Rue Nationale / Place Anatole France
- Between old and new town; shops, tram line, easy walk to both.
- Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
- TGV hub on the eastern edge; only if you are changing trains early, not for sightseeing.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twah-LET |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Validate your Fil Bleu ticket on board every time, including transfers; unvalidated tickets are treated as fare evasion and fined.
- Many city-centre streets are pedestrianised or limited-access: your hotel address may not be reachable by car, park in an underground car park instead.
- Châteaux outside Tours are poorly served by public transport; without a car or bike, book a tour or plan around the few bus routes.
- Some châteaux and museums close one day a week or cut hours outside Apr–Oct: check the official site before you travel.
Tours is a calm, safe city by day and night; the real risks are pickpockets around the station and Place Plumereau at night, and unvalidated tram tickets, which carry an on-the-spot fine.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tours yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Loire Valley châteaux base
- Cathédrale Saint-Gatien
- Basilica of Saint Martin
- Old town (Vieux Tours) and Place Plumereau
- Touraine wines and rillettes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tours official city site: www.tours.fr/
- Fil Bleu (Tours public transport): www.filbleu.fr/en/
- Wikivoyage: Tours, revision 5278644 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5278644
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tours
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Tours; most are in Paris. The US, UK, Canadian, Australian, Irish and New Zealand embassies are all in Paris (check addresses).
Service is included by law in France; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tours). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.