If you only have one day in Tours, it’s not always obvious what to see or how much time to spend there.

Tours is different from the other Loire Valley towns.

It’s usually lively and full of students, but when I visited during the winter holidays, it felt surprisingly quiet.

My husband grew up here and often talked about the parties and energy of the city, so discovering this calmer side together felt very special.

There’s more history, architecture, and atmosphere here than you might expect, and it’s easy to miss if you don’t have a plan.

That’s why I put together this one-day, step-by-step itinerary, with stops in the right order and an interactive map to make your visit simple and enjoyable. Scroll down to explore Tours at a relaxed pace.

Is Tours, France, worth the visit ?

I wondered that for years, too!

I visited the Loire Valley every year for 7 years before finally going to Tours. But once I got there, I really asked myself what took me so long!

My husband always said it’s a nice town, but a “too big one” (which I read as being soul-less, but I was so wrong!).

Tours is an incredibly nice town with a great old center. The architecture is amazing, you feel somewhere between Harry Potter and the middle ages.

It also has great food (it’s famous for its restaurants!) and the main square was voted to be the best place to take “apéro” in France, by Lonely Planet.

So yes, Tours is worth the visit and I would even say it’s a great town base for visiting the Loire Valley!

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How to Get to Tours (And Why It’s the Perfect Loire Valley Base)

Tours is easily one of the best places to stay if you want to explore the Loire Valley, along with Blois, Amboise, and Orléans.

The difference is that Tours has that perfect balance of city energy and easy access to châteaux.

Getting there by train: Tours is incredibly well-connected by train. You can reach it from Paris in just about an hour on the TGV. The train station (which, as you’ll see, is absolutely gorgeous) puts you right in the heart of the action.

If you plan to visit the main châteaux with good public transport, like Chenonceau, Amboise, or Villandry, the train is a great option.

But: If you want to wander around and discover those more secluded castles, the ones that don’t appear on every tour bus itinerary, you need a car.

Château de Beauregard, Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, and the beautiful Château de Valençay are much harder to reach without a car. With your own car, you can also stop in medieval villages, take photos whenever you want, or visit a local vineyard on a whim.

That extra freedom is worth it.

I suggest comparing car rental options on DiscoverCars.com before booking. They show prices from different companies, so you can find the best deal. We’ve used them several times and it’s saved us money and hassle.

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Map of this itinerary

I made you a map with all the best things to see in Tours, all in one simple itinerary!

You can take a screenshot of it or I can send it to you by email, along with this post to make it easier for you to store it !

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My favourite one day itinerary in Tours

Before we dive in, check out this short video I made. It shows the best stops we’ll cover in this post.

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First stop: Gare de Tours (or When Your Train Station Is Actually Worth Visiting)

I find it best to start where most people arrive: at the train station.

Few train stations can boast having any real tourist interest other than getting you to your destination. But Tours? The station itself is beautiful.

It replaced the city’s first station, which was called “l’Embarcadère.” The architect behind it was Victor Laloux, a local whose name you might not recognize… until I tell you he also designed the Gare d’Orsay in Paris (yes, the one that’s now the Musée d’Orsay).

That’s what the Tours station reminds you of!

It’s classified as a historic monument and ranks in the top five most beautiful train stations in France.

The only downside its that it’s a dead-end station.

Once you arrive in Tours, you have no choice but to turn around and head back the way you came!

But honestly, when the station looks this beautiful, I don’t mind the small inconvenience.

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Hôtel de Ville: A Palace Disguised as City Hall

Next stop, on the small Place Jean Jaurès, is the imposing Hôtel de Ville.

Built at the end of the 19th century and inaugurated in 1904, it looks more like a palace than anything else. It’s the work of (you guessed it! ) Victor Laloux, the same architect who built the train station.

The man was busy!

The façade is impressive, with muscular male figures (called atlantes) supporting the entire weight of the city on their shoulders. Two other reclining figures represent the Loire and the Cher rivers.

Even the Canadians appreciated the architect’s work! When Montreal’s city hall was restored after a fire in 1922, it was the Tours city hall’s roof that served as the model for reconstruction.

The people of Tours can be proud to have a piece of their city across the Atlantic.

TIP: Every first Sunday of the month, the municipality organizes guided tours of the interiors (only in French).

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Rue Nationale: The Champs-Élysées of Tours

You’re now in the heart of the city’s main artery.

Rue Nationale, which is 700 meters long, connects Place Jean Jaurès to Pont Wilson. It literally cuts old Tours in two.

It follows an ancient road from Caesarodunum, the Roman city that preceded Tours in the 1st and 2nd centuries.

Before it was “Nationale,” the street was “Royale”, as is the case for many roads in France.

You can think of it as the Champs-Élysées of Tours, with plenty of boutiques. But I also notice that Tours has lots of charming local artisan shops to explore. Definitely more than in Orléans!

Fun fact: It’s at number 39 on this street that Honoré de Balzac was born. If you’re interested in this great French writer’s life, you can participate in a themed guided tour from the tourist office, or visit the Balzac Museum at Château de Saché, a few kilometers away.

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Tour Charlemagne: When a Tower Survives the Revolution

You immediately see that we’re entering another era with the Tour Charlemagne rising before you.

Along with the Tour de l’Horloge and the Saint-Martin cloister, it’s one of the only vestiges of the old Saint-Martin Basilica, destroyed in 1797.

It’s called the Charlemagne Tower because, according to legend, Charlemagne’s fourth wife died during a trip to Tours and he chose to bury her here. The story isn’t fully confirmed, and the tomb was never officially identified, so take it with a grain of salt.

In any case, there was definitely a large Romanesque basilica here. In 1790, like all religious buildings in France, it was declared national property.

Except the poor thing suffered so many thefts, especially lead from the roofs and metal structures from the vaults,that after a few rains and storms, it began to seriously fall apart, and they had to completely demolish it.

In the end, the tower was never restored, but it’s thanks to Napoleon that it’s still standing in front of you.

A paid entry allows you to climb the 248 steps of the tower to enjoy a 360° view of the city.

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Basilique Saint-Martin

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The Basilique Saint-Martin you see today was built between 1887 and 1902 by Victor Laloux, the same architect who designed city hall and the train station. He certainly kept busy in his career!

As I mentioned, the Romanesque-era Saint-Martin Basilica had been destroyed during the Revolution. But when Saint Martin’s relics were discovered in the crypt in 1860, they found themselves in quite a pickle having destroyed everything.

So they were forced to rebuild something.

At the time, they hesitated between rebuilding the old basilica identically or opting for something more sober. The second solution was ultimately chosen, hence this small Romano-Byzantine style basilica.

In terms of ornaments and stained glass, everything revolves around Saint Martin. You can observe key moments in the saint’s history and the life of the Church in Europe on its sublime stained glass.

If you’re interested in his tomb, a reproduction awaits you in the crypt. And if you don’t go inside but want to know what this famous Saint Martin looked like, look up to the top of the dome and see his statue blessing the city and all its inhabitants.

When I visited, I even saw a model of the basilica made out of cake inside. Only in France!

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Time for your first shopping stop !

Chocolaterie Royale has some truly delicious chocolate, but don’t skip the other goodies.

ou’ll find elegant souvenirs and Chambord biscuits too.

(Though between us, I still prefer getting the biscuits directly at the Biscuiterie of Chambord Castle—where you can taste them all for free!)

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Tour de l’Horloge: The Tower That Tells Time (Because Markets Need Schedules)

This is where you really understand the size of the old 11th-century Saint-Martin Basilica. The clock tower you see here was called the Treasure Tower and was the south tower of the basilica.

It wasn’t destroyed with the rest of the building because they were looking for—not a treasure—but precisely a tower to install a bell to ring the opening and closing hours of the market. Then they installed a clock. Hence its current name.

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Portail de l’Hôtel des Trésoriers: A Forgotten Masterpiece

It feels like a forgotten stop in Tours, but I fell in love with the aesthetic of this small façade on the rue du Marché.

This sculpted flamboyant Gothic-style door is another witness to Tours’ past. It’s all that remains of a mansion belonging to the treasurer of the canons.

Judging by the entrance, we can easily imagine that the rest of the mansion must have been rather grandiose. That’s because the treasurer of the canons was a very important person. In addition to his primary functions, he had the right of high justice.

The portal, highly ornate, symbolized the power of authority. It was built in the 15th century.

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Place du Monstre: Medieval Meets Modern Art

This stop is all about a small curiosity in the middle of the historic quarter.

You’re face-to-face with the Monster of Place du Marché! Created at the request of merchants by contemporary artist Xavier Veilhan, this is a 4.80-meter statue.

The sculptor wanted to draw inspiration from the fantastical characters found on medieval city coats of arms while giving it a modern style.

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Place Plumereau: The Best Apéro Spot in France (According to Lonely Planet)

Here it is. This is what you wanted to see in Tours.

A remarkable collection of half-timbered houses around a warm square filled with cafés and restaurants. Here, the best thing is to sit at one of these terraces and enjoy the atmosphere while admiring the old façades.

Lonely Planet even declared in 2014 that this was the best place in France for an apéritif, so you might as well do it justice!

The houses surrounding the square date from the 12th to the 16th century and are classified as historic monuments.

The square, which was once called Place aux Fruits, took the name of Charles Plumereau, who bequeathed 3,000 francs to the city upon his death.

But it’s especially known for Joan of Arc’s passage (like everything in this region…).

For now, just enjoy this well-preserved spot and take in the feeling of stepping back in time.

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Jardins Saint-Pierre le Puellier: Where Romans and Medieval Times Collide

My husband said he used to party in a pub just next to it. But I was happy to be able to see this place with fresh eyes.

No party here. Just so much history!

You’re standing on layers of history: Roman ruins, medieval tombs, and echoes of royal footsteps.

This peaceful garden was once home to a monastery founded by Queen Clothilde around the year 500, built for young girls. Over time, it became a parish, then faded into ruins.

Excavations revealed even older Gallo-Roman foundations and centuries of burials, hinting at how much life (and death) passed through this space. It’s a quiet spot now, but one that holds centuries of stories beneath your feet.

It’s interesting to stop for a second and think about everything that could have happened over the centuries in these places we pass through without even thinking about it.

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Hôtel Goüin: Renaissance Splendor

You’re probably aware that the Loire Valley was long a favorite place of the kings of France. The presence of the king and his court obviously attracted the nobility that came with it, who had châteaux built, of course, but also private mansions like this one.

The Hôtel Goüin started as a medieval home, but in 1510, its owner Nicolas Gaudin gave it a major glow-up inspired by the Italian Renaissance. What you see today is a beautiful mix of styles.

It’s as if a Venetian palace met Gothic flair. It’s one of the first Renaissance façades in the region, and it still manages to stop people in their tracks.

The façade it’s magnificent, with sculpted details.

It now bears the name of an influential family from Brittany, the Gwen, whose name was Frenchified to Goüin. They inherited the property centuries later.

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Église Saint-Julien: The Church That Became a Stagecoach Parking Lot

Saint-Julien Church has been through a lot. Attacked, rebuilt, knocked down by a hurricane, sold off during the Revolution (and turned into a stagecoach parking lot!), then heavily damaged again during WWII.

Even the stained-glass windows were shattered when the Allies blew up the nearby bridge. It’s kind of a miracle it’s still standing.

Today, it houses the Musée du Compagnonnage—a beautiful tribute to France’s artisan guilds and their centuries-old traditions, recognised by UNESCO. Definitely worth a stop.

Coffee stop on your tours itinerary !

If you didn’t already stop in the Place Plumereau, there is a place that serves good coffee and cakes just here!

It’s called “Le Petit Atelier” and it’s rated as the best coffee in Tours !

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Bibliothèque Municipale: Art Deco Meets the Loire

I’ll be honest, this stop didn’t charm me.

The municipal library building is big, a bit clunky, and definitely not my favourite visually. But it holds architectural and historical weight.

Designed by Pierre Patout after WWII, it’s a rare example of Art Deco “paquebot” style, yes, like the old steamships he once designed.

The original library was lost to fire during the bombings of 1940, along with most of its revolutionary-era book collections. Some priceless documents did survive, including rare pre-1501 texts called incunabula.

So even if the building doesn’t wow at first glance, its backstory is worth a pause.

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Monument Américain: A Little Piece of USA in Tours

Passport please—you’re entering American territory.

This striking fountain near the Loire is more than just a pretty monument, it’s technically American soil.

Gifted by the U.S. in the 1930s, it honours the American “Service of Supply” troops who supported WWI efforts from their base in Tours.

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La Loire: France’s Last Wild River

Next stop: the wild banks of the Loire.

This river, which is the longest in France at 1,006 kilometers, is also perhaps the most beautiful.

Until the early 20th century, the Loire played an important role in the lives of the people of Tours. Before the railway arrived in Tours, it was the river that was the main commercial crossroads. Residents also came to fish there and experienced the impact of its significant floods.

Often described as France’s last wild river, the Loire is full of magnificent landscapes, very rich natural environments, and beautiful biodiversity.

The many châteaux that border it have earned it the nickname “royal river.”

If you want to discover them along the water, know that many cruises are available from the region.

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Château de Tours: Not Versailles, But It Hosted Kings

Yes, in the heart of the Loire Valley, with all these sumptuous châteaux, the Château de Tours isn’t the craziest you’ll ever see.

However, this modest 11th-century castle hosted some beautiful people!

It then saw great events, such as the engagement of Charles VII and Marie d’Anjou or the marriage of Louis XI with Margaret of Scotland.

But over the centuries, kings ended up tiring of it and abandoning it in favor of the new Renaissance-style châteaux flourishing along the Loire. It even found itself dismantled at the end of the 18th century when they decided to use its stones in developing the quays.

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Passage du Cœur Navré

This little passage was my favourite hidden gem in Tours!  It is called the Passage du Cœur Navré (Passage of the Grieving Heart).

This narrow alley is Tours’ own version of the Bridge of Sighs.

In medieval times, the condemned walked this path on their way to the scaffold in nearby Place Foire-Le-Roi, once a bustling market square that doubled as an execution site.

It’s peaceful now, thankfully, and a quiet reminder of how far we’ve come.

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Grand Théâtre: Where Opera Meets History

The Grand Théâtre is the only opera house in France’s Centre region, and it has quite a story.

It was originally a church, later turned into a theatre by a local named Monsieur Bûcheron in 1796.

After a major fire in 1883, it was rebuilt in a style inspired by the Opéra Garnier in Paris.

What you see today is the result of that 19th-century transformation. Since 2002, it’s been home to the regional symphony and a permanent choir.

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Cathédrale Saint-Gatien: 400 Years of Gothic Glory

Attention flamboyant Gothic fans, the Cathédrale Saint-Gatien is made for you!

Its construction began in the 13th century and lasted about 400 years! Its finely decorated façade resembles stone lace! It’s magnificent work. And the cathedral is immense!

We’re talking 100 meters long, 30 meters under the vaults, and the two towers are respectively 68 and 69 meters.

The first cathedral that rose on this square, just imagine, had been built by the Bishop of Tours around 340. Burned and restored, it was reconsecrated in the 6th century. Same thing six centuries later. It was rebuilt and burned again, suffering from wars between Louis VII, the King of France, and Henry II of England in the 12th century.

Entry is free, don’t hesitate to go inside and let yourself be surprised by the beauty of the stained glass. You’ll also see the very beautiful tomb of the children of Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII, superbly sculpted and dating from the 16th century.

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Jardin du Musée des Beaux-Arts: Where Art Meets a Lebanese Cedar

The last stop of our Tours itinerary is in the peaceful garden of the Musée des Beaux-Arts, once the bishop’s palace of Tours.

The building has lived many lives: a Roman palace, a church residence, then a theatre, school, and library before finally becoming a museum in 1910.

Inside, you’ll find masterpieces by Rubens, Monet, Rodin, and more.

But even if you skip the gallery, the garden alone is worth a visit,especially to see the enormous Lebanese cedar, planted in 1804, its branches stretching across more than 600 m².

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Other Things to Do Around Tours

If you’re craving a bit of green in the heart of Tours, cross Pont Napoléon and head to Île Simon. It’s a landscaped little escape with wide-open views of the Loire, perfect for a jog, a picnic, or just watching the river do its thing.

Foodies, don’t skip Les Halles! This is where you’ll find the good stuff: Sainte-Maure goat cheese, rillettes de Tours, and wines from the Loire Valley all under one roof. It’s my go-to for a local bite and some edible souvenirs.

If you’ve got time for a château or two (and honestly, how could you not?), Tours makes the perfect launchpad.

Start with Château de Chenonceau, just 30 km away. It’s the most visited château in France after Versailles and for good reason: those arches over the Cher, that Renaissance elegance, and the incredible women who shaped its history make it an absolute must. You can even see it by canoe if you’re up for it.

Closer still is Château de Villandry, famous for its gardens that look like something out of a painting. Or head east to the Château d’Amboise and the nearby Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years (and where he is buried). His old house is now a museum, and yes, it’s as cool as it sounds.

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Final Thoughts

Tours is not just a base for visiting Loire châteaux, though it’s perfect for that. It’s a city with its own personality, its own rhythm, its own stories carved into stone and hidden in quiet gardens.

My husband’s teenage memories mixed with my architectural discoveries. His party spots became my history lessons. And somehow, that made the whole experience richer.

Go to Tours. Walk slowly. Look up at the buildings. Sit at Place Plumereau with a glass of wine.

And if you see students partying on a Thursday night, just know: my husband was probably doing the exact same thing 15 years ago.

Have you done this walk? Let me know your favorite hidden spot in Tours!