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Tours Travel Guide
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Tours |
Overview: Located at the junction of the Loire and the Cher Rivers, the
holiday destination of Tours is a great base for exploring the
valley. The town was badly bombed during the last war and many
buildings were replaced with ugly apartment blocks. Tours is,
however, surrounded by magnificent châteaux and is a fun
place to spend the evenings; the streets and bars are filled with
locals and tourists and the huge student population adds to the
vibrancy. Within the city the Cathedral is worth a visit while on
holiday. Its flamboyant Gothic façade is flanked by towers
dating from the 12th century, inside are some glorious 13th-century
stained-glass windows and the handsome 16th-century tomb of Charles
VIII and Anne de Bretagne's two children. There is also a fine
provincial museum in Tours, in the Palais des Archevêques,
with a number of Old Masters works' including those by Degas,
Delacroix, Rembrandt, and Boucher.
Attractions Château de Chenonceau
Only a few miles outside Tours, on the River Cher, the
Château de Chenonceau is probably the most celebrated of the
many châteaux in the Loire valley. It was used as a mill in
the Middle Ages and bridges the whole width of... see full details
Villandry
Five miles (8km) outside Tours is the tiny village of Villandry
and its wonderful château. The château is best known
for its gardens that are open between February and November. It is
not your standard ornamental garden; between the vine-shaded paths
and ornamental box... see full details
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