Tours

Tours is the largest city in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire.

Tours is located along the Loire River, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. It has a long history dating back to Roman times. The city is also known for its beautiful historic center, which is a UNESCO site.

Tours is a university city with many students. It is famous for its food, including special cheeses and wines from the Touraine vineyards. Each year, Tours hosts the end of the Paris–Tours cycle race, attracting cyclists from around the world.

Etymology

A story says the name "Tours" comes from a person named Turonus. He was the nephew of Brutus. Turonus died in a war between Corineus and the king of Aquitaine, Goffarius Pictus. The war began because Corineus hunted in the king’s forests without permission. People say Turonus was buried in Tours, and the city grew around his grave.

History

See also: Timeline of Tours and Tours Amphitheatre in the ancient city

In Gallic times, Tours was an important place to cross the Loire River. It joined the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD and was called Caesarodunum. The name changed to Tours in the 4th century, when the Tours Amphitheatre was built.

Tours grew during the Middle Ages, especially because of Saint Martin of Tours, a bishop who helped a poor person in Amiens. The city became a key stop for Christian travelers going to Santiago de Compostela.

In the 6th century, a cathedral was rebuilt after a fire. In the 9th century, Tours was a place for learning during the Carolingian Renaissance. In 732, the city stopped an army at the Battle of Tours. During the Middle Ages, Tours had two main parts: one around the cathedral and another around the Abbey of Saint Martin.

The city became the capital of Touraine. In the 15th century, sometimes the French king lived there. The 19th century brought railways, helping Tours grow. The city was involved in both World Wars, hosting American soldiers during the First World War and being damaged in the Second World War. After the war, the city was rebuilt and grew into a center for education and culture.

Climate

Tours has an oceanic climate that stays mild even though it is far north. In summer, temperatures often reach 25 °C (77 °F) or more because the city is inland. In winter, the climate stays gentle thanks to air coming from the Atlantic Ocean. The area between Orlans and Angers is known for its bright skies and many beautiful châteaux, most of which were built during the Renaissance period. There are over 600 of these châteaux in the valley.

Sights

Cathedral

The Cathedral of Tours is a very special building. It was built around the year 1170 to replace an older church that was burned down during a disagreement between two kings. The lower parts of the tall towers are from the 1100s, but the rest of the building has beautiful detailed work from the 1400s. Many artists and writers were inspired by this wonderful cathedral in their stories and paintings.

Other points of interest

Here are some other nice places to visit in Tours:

• Hôtel de Ville
• Jardin botanique de Tours, the city's garden
• botanical garden
• Medieval enclosure at Tours
• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours
• Hôtel Goüin
• Château de Tours
• Basilique St-Martin
• Place Plumereau, the old part of town
• Grand Théâtre, home of the Opéra de Tours
• Tour Charlemagne

Language

Before the French Revolution, people in Tours spoke French very clearly. Their way of saying words was considered the best way to speak French until around the 1800s.

Important meetings changed how people spoke. A meeting in Tours in 813 decided that priests should speak in languages people could understand, not just Latin. This helped French become its own language. Laws were written in the local language so everyone would know what they meant.

City

The city of Tours has about 140,000 people and is called "Le Jardin de la France," meaning "The Garden of France." It is known for its beautiful parks. It is located between two rivers, the Loire to the north and the Cher to the south. The buildings in Tours are white with blue slate roofs, a style common in northern France.

Tours is famous for its old medieval district called le Vieux Tours, which has preserved half-timbered buildings. There is a lively square named la Place Plumereau with many pubs and restaurants. The city is also well-known for its many bridges over the Loire River. Tours is home to the University of Tours, which hosts an important international choir competition.

Population

The population numbers here are for the city of Tours itself, not the larger area around it. Over time, Tours has grown by including nearby smaller towns. In 1845, it added Saint-Étienne, and later in 1964, it added Sainte-Radegonde-en-Touraine and Saint-Symphorien. As of 2022, the city of Tours had 138,668 people living in it.

Transportation

Tours has many ways to travel, making it easy to visit the beautiful Loire Valley and its famous châteaux. The city is connected by fast trains called TGV. These trains can take you to places like Bordeaux, Avignon, Barcelona, Lyon, Strasbourg, and Lille. You can reach Paris in less than an hour, and it’s just an hour and a half to Charles de Gaulle Airport. Tours has two main train stations: Gare de Tours and Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps.

The city also has Tours Loire Valley Airport for flights to European cities. In the past, Tours had trams and trolleybuses. Trams returned in 2013 with a new system. There are bus services too, and more trams are coming in 2025.

Sport

Tours is a special place for sports. The city is where the Paris–Tours race ends. This is a big cycling race that happens almost every October. The race started in 1896.

Tours also has teams for other sports. There is a volleyball club called Tours VB. There is also a football team named CCSP Tours. This team plays in a regional league.

Catholics from Tours

Tours is an important city for many Catholics, especially those who honor the Holy Face of Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament. In 1843, Sister Marie of St Peter shared a special vision. She also shared a prayer called The Golden Arrow prayer with others.

Another person, the Venerable Leo Dupont, lived in Tours and started nightly prayers before a picture of the Holy Face of Jesus. This practice spread across France. Later, a leader of the Catholic Church approved this devotion, and many people visit Tours each year to pray at the Oratory of the Holy Face.

Tours also has a rich history with St. Martin of Tours and a famous battle in 732 called the Battle of Tours. This battle helped stop an army and shape Europe’s history.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Tours, France

Tours, France, has been home to many important people throughout history. These people have made their marks in areas such as public service, the arts, science, business, and sports.

In public service, Tours has seen figures like Berengarius of Tours, a theologian, and Jean Royer, a former mayor of the city. The arts have flourished here too, with contributions from painters like Jean Fouquet and writers such as Honoré de Balzac. In the fields of science and business, notable personalities include Gabriel Lamé, a mathematician, and Émile Delahaye, an automobile pioneer.

The city has also produced talented athletes. For example, Catherine Poirot won a bronze medal in swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and Xavier Gravelaine was a well-known footballer. These people reflect the rich and varied legacy of Tours.

Twin towns — sister cities

Tours has friendly partnerships with cities around the world. These partnerships started in different years. The cities include:

• Mülheim, Germany, since 1962
• Segovia, Spain, since 1972
• Parma, Italy, since 1976
• Luoyang, China, since 1982
• Trois-Rivières, Canada, since 1987
• Takamatsu, Japan, since 1988
• Brașov, Romania, since 1990
• Minneapolis, Minnesota USA, since 1991