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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 north of the centre; taxi to the centre about €15–20. Nearest tram stop Vaucanson is a 20-min walk.3.1 mi 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
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.