Medieval Streets and Gourmet Eats: A Guide to the City of Tours

Tours is a city with Roman origins that entices you to explore its rich historical heritage.

During this walking tour, you’ll discover the city’s remarkable evolution, from Antiquity to the Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, and up to today. You’ll also see how each era has left its mark in Balzac’s birthplace.

The tour begins at Place Châteauneuf, where the imposing Charlemagne Tower stands, a remnant of the former Saint-Martin Collegiate Church. You’ll stroll along charming cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses from the 1400s, admire Renaissance mansions with their finely sculpted facades, and even discover a secret medieval passage. Throughout the tour, you’ll receive recommendations for local products and restaurants showcasing the Loire Valley’s gastronomic heritage.

The tour ends in the heart of the city, the Place Jean Jaurès where you'll be able to admire the imposing Town Hall.

During this 90-minute tour, you’ll also have the opportunity to:

• Discover significant monuments like the Charlemagne Tower, the Saint-Gatien Cathedral, and the Tours Opera (Opéra de Tours)
• Visit Place Plumereau for an aperitif, ranked among the most beautiful squares in France
• Admire Renaissance mansions, including Hôtel Goüin with its Italian-inspired façade
• Hear the surprising history of Tours as a pioneer in silk production in France
• Contemplate the works of Tours architect Victor Laloux, also known for designing the Musée d’Orsay in Paris
• Stroll through the covered market and discover several Touraine specialties, including rillettes and the pastry called “le Nougat de Tours”

By the end of this tour, you’ll have seen how Tours’ historical heritage has been woven into its streets and architecture over the centuries, evoking tales of medieval life.