Tours - Loire France

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Daddy

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Thinking of flying to Tours from Dublin with Ryanair.

What's the city like - much to see and do ?

Thanks
 
Yes I was there last year. It's a lovely place. Both the bus station and the train station are beside each other. You can get a train direct to two of the chateaux from the train station and to one of the chateaux from the bus station. The tourist office is directly across the road from both stations where you can pick up expensive enough half day tours to the chateaux. My advice is to do it direct yourself, you will save a fortune on the transport costs and also be in control of your own timetable.

There is a great street full of restaurants leading to a large square that is full of interesting bars where everyone hangs out.

http://www.france-for-visitors.com/loire/tours/chateau-tours.html
 
We satyed at Hotel Du Manoir.



It has mixed reviews on Tripadvisor but we thought it a great location and good value.
 
I was in Tours three times last week -- passing through between other locations in the Loire Valley, and not particularly liking it: it's a biggish city, lots of traffic and, apart from the vieux quartier, not particularly interesting. It's generally seen as a base for getting to more interesting places nearby. I'd suggest hiring a car at Tours, and finding accommodation in one of the nearby smaller cities (Amboise, Saumur, or Chinon) as a base for visiting some good places.
 
Padraigb said:
I'd suggest hiring a car at Tours, and finding accommodation in one of the nearby smaller cities (Amboise, Saumur, or Chinon) as a base for visiting some good places.
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Amboise is lovely but tiny. We visited there on a day trip from Tours and a half day was plenty with time for lunch included in that as well as visiting the smaller chateaux.

Stay in Tours as a base and visit outwards from there.
 
What's wrong with basing yourself in a small (but not tiny) city as a base for trips? Amboise has plenty of hotels at various price level, plenty of restaurants at various price levels, two important chateaux, and very good road links to many others. Driving and parking are easier in the smaller cities.
 
Daddy said:
Thinking of flying to Tours from Dublin with Ryanair.

What's the city like - much to see and do ?

Thanks
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Try to visit the Chateau at Chenonceau(x), near Tours, it's beautiful. If you are going to hire a car, bring your satnav or good maps as the roads around Tours are very confusing. Good base for touring the Loire Valley - it's beautiful. Slim
 
Padraigb said:
What's wrong with basing yourself in a small (but not tiny) city as a base for trips? Amboise has plenty of hotels at various price level, plenty of restaurants at various price levels, two important chateaux, and very good road links to many others. Driving and parking are easier in the smaller cities.
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There is nothing wrong with that just as there is nothing wrong in staying in a larger town.

Incidentally you can get the train from the main train station in Tours to the chateaux at Chenonceaux. The train stops just outside the chateaux entrance. There is a small village beside Chenonceaux where you can get pricey meals.
 
I flew to Tours last week. As it happens I was heading off somewhere else, but the airport is really small and very easy to negotiate - we hired a car and were on the autoroute in no time. The Loire valley is a great part of France - there is lots to see and do there.
 
we are thinking of going to Loire valley in June and basing ourselves in Tours - we wont be hiring a car. we would probably use train to go various other places but we would also be hiring bikes - question is would Tours be the best place to base ourselves - how difficult is to negotiate out of the city on a bike??
thanks
 
Can highly recommend getting your hands on a car. We’ve been in France loads of times and by far and away our stay in the Loire Valley in 2009 was the best trip we had there. The reason why I say a car, is you really need to drive one end of the Loire to the other checking off the Castles as you go. Also trips to vinyards and their associated caves is a must. I would also recommend a trip toFontevraud abbey. The food is A1 and the people seemed friendlier than most other areas of France. Just google chateaux of the Loire and if your into nice buildings, start looking forward to it!!
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We stayed here when in Tours and enjoyed our stay. We were able to visit a number of the Chateaux ourselves using public transport much cheaper than organised trips.
 
We stayed in the Novotel, Amboise. A bit bland but nice and has a lovely outdoor swimming pool.

Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire with its annual Festival des Jardins was wonderful. Chateau Charmbord was also nice, but looks a lot better outdoors than indoors.

If you're hiring a car (which I'd recommend) do NOT use Avis at Chartres Railway Station. It doesn't exist! All they have there is a plate on a wall. You will be sent to the Avis office at the edge of town, a €15 taxi ride away. And we found their service to be very poor.
 
thanks for all the replies. we will be using public transport & cycling as driving is not an option.

Any other recommendations of hotels in Tours would be appreciated as the one suggested is booked out for our dates.
thanks again
 
Hi CMK,

Can't offer any advice on Tours, but would echo other posters...you need a car. We have been to the Loire region several times and you're in for something special. One the wine front :D I would recommend you trying Coteaux du Layon - it's a beautiful, non-sickly, dessert wine from Loire. We often drink it on it's own when the weather's nice.

The castles are great and the caves as someone else pointed out are great too.

Enjoy et bonnes vacances!

Firefly.
 
CMK said:
thanks for all the replies. we will be using public transport & cycling as driving is not an option.

Any other recommendations of hotels in Tours would be appreciated as the one suggested is booked out for our dates.
thanks again
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Hi, Tours is on or near the Eurovelo 6 cycle route which you can follow east or west. Look here..[broken link removed] for info on the route. We visited the Loire Valley and enjoyed a trip to Chateau Chenonceau, which is near Tours. I would also visit Amboise where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died. There is lots of cycling information on this site http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/ just use the search option with 'Loire Valley'.
Enjoy, Slim
 
Slim - your information is very useful - thanks a million.

Thanks everyone for your info.
 
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