Tours

City of art and history, ancient gallo-roman city, then capital of the kingdom of france, tours enjoy, an exceptional place at the centre of the famous loire valley chateaux, in the heart of the garden of france

the gallo-roman city  The name of Caesarodonum ("the hill of Caesar") is first mentioned in the Ist century AD: this new settlement was to become the chief town of the Romanized Gauls called the "Turones". A few remains from this period can be seen near the cathedral :  Part of the wall of the Lower Empire castrum near what is now the "rue du Petit Cupidon".  The Lower Empire town gate onto the Loire...

châteauneuf de saint martin  St Martin, Bishop of Tours, was widely venerated before his death in 397 and his relics then attracted such a cult that a new centre grew up around the chapel built over his tomb. The church that was later built there became one of the focal points for Western Christianity.  Crowds of pilgrims converged on this great Christian sanctuary and brought the city renown and prosperity.

the new urban setting  The famous royal steward, François Pierre DU CLUZEL introduced the greatest innovation when he laid the new central road: it was North-South, perpendicular to the Loire whereas the old axis was parallel to the river. This road, which is 6km long, involved cutting into the hillside at Saint Symphorien, building a new bridge (also known as Pont de Pierre and nowadays Pont Wilson), laying the rue Royale (rue Nationale today) and joining up with the Grammont embankment and the road out of Tours to the south across the Cher Valley.

musée de compagnonnage  This museum is unique in the world. It contains the masterpieces, tools, illustrated and written records of the Tour de France journeymen since 1840.

gouin hotel(formerly hotel gardette, 16th c.)  Touraine Archeological Society collection: prehistory, Gallo-Roman and medieval archeology, medieval, Renaissance, 17th and 18th century arts. The most beautiful example of Renaissance domestic architecture in Tours.

tours, the city ot the 30 streets markets  Traditional markets, morning only  Tuesday : St Paul, Paul Bert, Bd Heurteloup  Wednesday : Halles, Beaujardin, Coty, Fontaines  Thursday : Strasbourg, Velpeau, Beffroi  Friday : St Paul, Blanqui, Rives du Cher  Saturday : Halles, Beaujardin, Coty, Coppee, Fontaines  Sunday : Maine, Velpeau, Rabelais

Tours : city of gastronomy  The Touraine table serves recipes from all over France and also the much- appreciated local specialities such as: rillettes (goose or pork pate), andouillette (tripe sausage), geline, coq-au-vin with Chinon wine, delicious Ste Maure goat cheese, the so-called "Tours" prunes, macaroons made by the monks of Cormery, the fouaces (hearth-cakes) that Rabelais so loved and barley sugar.