Traditions and culture in Tours

Like most cities in France, Tours had a tough time during both world wars, particularly the second, when the demarcation line between the Nazi-occupied north and the Vichy-controlled south ran through nearby Chateau de Chenonceau.

However, it has recovered impressively and is now viewed as a lively, cosmopolitan city, rich in history and culture and well worth a visit on any holiday to France.

It contains an ever-growing university with 25,000 students, while it has also emerged as a major centre for technology and pharmaceutical research as it mixes the old with the new.

The tourism industry has been expanding for many years and Tours - often described as 'le jardin de la France' (the Garden of France) - is renowned for its wine making.

Things to do in Tours

The city is famous for its original medieval district, with its preserved, half-timbered buildings and 'la Place Plumereau', a buzzing square full of pubs and restaurants.

Anyone deciding to book flights to Tours will also undoubtedly want to visit its cathedral, which was built in the 12th century but contains many Flamboyant Gothic designs which were typical of the 15th century.

There are a number of green spaces which are ideal for an afternoon stroll and there is a huge cedar tree planted by Napoleon in the garden of 'Musee des Baux-Arts', as it is now known.

Arts lovers are also catered for and can head to the 'Grand Theatre' to watch opera, while weekly markets and fairs are a major attraction for locals and tourists on holiday in the region.

Weather in Tours

Tours enjoys a fairly temperate climate and generally experiences mild winters and warm, pleasant weather during the summer months of May through to September.

However, temperatures rarely reach 30C - instead, a good July in Tours would see the mercury sitting at around 23C on average.

Rainfall tends to be a burden, particularly in the winter, and most visitors say that spring is the best time to visit the region to check out the chateaux and wineries.

Destination checklist for Tours

Tours has a population of 137,000.

The city is one hour ahead of GMT/UTC time.

The official currency is the euro.

French is the official language spoken.

The city's international dialling code is +33.