Guided tours

Duration:  1h30 - Price: from €12 A guided tour of the landscape and monumental dimensions of Marmoutier Abbey and a discovery of the archaeological remains. Surrounded by a cliff, in a meander of the Loire, the site of Marmoutier stands out for its tranquillity and picturesque character. It was on this site, occupied since ancient times, that Saint Martin founded a small hermitage in the 4th century, which rapidly developed into a prestigious abbey of considerable influence. Restored and maintained until the French Revolution, the abbey was partly demolished in the 19th century. Since 1981, the City of Tours has owned the hillside and adjoining land where most of the old buildings that have survived are located. Every summer, the site hosts a programmed archaeological dig, which you can discover on this tour. This tour has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label.

Duration: 1h30 - from €7 In Tours, timber-framed houses, Gothic churches and Renaissance mansions stand side by side with contemporary 21st-century buildings. Behind this architectural harmony lie fascinating stories, which you can discover on this guided tour, which has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label. Following the tour, you can explore the CCC OD (Centre de Création Contemporaine Olivier Debré) on a self-guided tour. A reduced rate of €5.50 applies on presentation of the Heritage and Contemporary Creation tour voucher. Discount valid only on the day of the tour. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)  

Duration: 1h30 - Price: from 7€ The Tours Loire Valley Tourist Office and the city of Tours are offering a guided tour of ‘Ancient Tours’. Tours was founded in the 1st century as a Roman capital on the territory of the Turones. In the Middle Ages, the town developed in two directions: to the west, the Châteauneuf district, which grew out of the pilgrimage of Saint Martin, was under the authority of the bishop. A royal city at the end of the Middle Ages, Tours enjoyed tremendous prosperity. In the 18th century, the city benefited from the policy of opening up the kingdom's cities with the creation of the new Spanish road. The arrival of the railway in the mid-19th century and the annexation of the commune of Saint-Etienne confirmed the town's southward expansion. The second half of the 20th century was marked by the reconstruction of the upper part of the Rue Nationale and major urban development projects.

Duration: 2h - Price: from 7€ Discover Tours in a whole new light with this night-time guided tour along the ‘Parcours Lumière’. Take a new look at the city as night falls. The ‘Parcours Lumière’ highlights Tours by magnifying its monuments and natural spaces. The streets of Vieux-Tours, the timber-framed houses of Place Plumereau, the Basilique Saint-Martin, the Tour Charlemagne, the Grand Théâtre... the urban landscape reveals a different face as you take this tour. A not-to-be-missed opportunity to discover the city in a different way! This tour has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label.