Luxury apartments in a residential area on the outskirts of Tours
EUR 165,000
More info...
Elegant spacious Manoir, views, 8000m² land, landscaped gardens, pond
EUR 898,000
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Loire Valley Established Lakeside Gite Business
EUR 1,150,000
More info...
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A major city and the garden of France
Tours, principal town of the Indre-et-Loire department in central France, despite being a very large and important city, is also widely known as ‘Le jardin de France’. This is due to the beautiful parks found in and around the city centre, which combine with the elegant and historic architecture to make the town a most attractive place. The old, traditionally white-walled and blue slate-roofed properties stand tall, overlooking the bustling city life and the ageless flow of the Rivers Loire and Cher. Close to the cathedral there is even a cedar tree said to have been planted by none other than Napoleon!
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A refined reputation but a lively heart
Tours has reputation for being elegant, academic and really rather grand, but this is far from the whole story. The city has a huge student population, and this together with the thriving business community and a massive influx of tourists, makes for a lively and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The vibrant enthusiasm of youth can be felt in the Place Plumerau in the evenings, where the students and young professionals dance the night away in the clubs and bars which proliferate in this part of the city. Traditional French café bars rub shoulders with pizzerias and Irish pubs, and in the summer months the pavements are filled with noisy, jubilant throngs of people.
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Wining and dining
As you would expect from such a large city, the choice of restaurants is staggering. From the pizzerias in the ‘Place Plum’, as it is affectionately referred to, to the finest of French restaurants, the Jean Bordet in the rue Groison, there is something in Tours to suit all tastes and pockets. The rue Colbert offers some good choices of eateries, and there are many more found in the quieter streets around the hub of the Place Plumerau.
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Exploring the city
Tours isn’t all about modern life, however, and it is well worth visiting the older parts of the town if you want to get a real feel for the place. The old quarter, or more correctly, the old quarters, (for there are two, one either side of the river) have some beautiful half-timbered houses, which are truly evocative of times past. You may also enjoy the whimsical elegance of the Écoles de Langues Vivantes, which has carvings of some weird and wonderful animals adorning its façade! The cathedral, dedicated to St Gatien, is an imposing building whose construction was begun in 1170, after the old cathedral was burned to the ground in 1166.
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Out and about
Although there is so much to see and do in Tours, the area in which the city is situated is so interesting that you will need to explore this too! The lovely chateaux of the Loire are all around, and the famous wine producing town of Vouvray is close at hand and begs a visit. Most sports and leisure activities can be accessed from Tours or close by, so there is no excuse to be bored.
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How to get there
Tours is one of the easiest places after Paris to access from the UK. Ryanair, the budget airline, have direct flights to Tours from Stansted, and there is a major TGV line into the city too, which makes rail travel quick and effective. The city also lies on a crossroads of many major autoroutes, with the A10 from Paris taking you directly to the city.
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Property prices and availability in and around Tours
Property in the city itself will usually command a premium, as will property in any big French city. The area outside the city, however, can yield some surprisingly reasonably priced properties, and the excellent transport links mean that this is an area well worth considering, particularly if you are buying a second home, and will want to travel to and from the UK on a regular basis. As the area is so popular with tourists, this is a key area for gîte owners, for whom location is everything! The city centre is an ideal location for Chambre d’hotes, as there is a huge amount of transient business to be had here.
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HOTELS IN TOURS
* online booking & great prices
* up-to-the-minute availability
* unbiased hotel reviews
* full confirmation with directions |
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AGENTS WITH PROPERTY IN THIS AREA |
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4/5