Old abbey of Marmoutier

Tours Loire Valley Tourist Office and the city of Tours offer a themed tour of the former Abbey of Marmoutier. Hermitage of Saint Martin.

A guided tour of the landscape and monumental dimensions of Marmoutier Abbey, and a discovery of its archaeological remains.

Surrounded by a cliff, in a meander of the Loire, the Marmoutier site stands out for its tranquility and picturesque character. It was on this site, occupied since antiquity, 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 been the owner of the hillside and adjoining land where most of the preserved ancient buildings 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.

Practical informations

Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Free for children under 12 (contact us: 02 47 70 37 37)

Reservations must be made in advance at the Tourist Office or online. No sales on site.
The guided tour is in French only and is intended for individuals. For all group visits of more than 10 people, contact the Groups Department on tel: +33 (0) 2 47 70 37 34 or by e-mail: dmc@tours-tourisme.fr.