Citotel Criden

Red Wine

by Sharrie

This is the Loire Valley & nowhere in France can you find more Red Wine than here. I'm no expert on wines since I'm allergic to alcohol but I did see lots of wine on sale everywhere in Tours. & mind you, they are dirt cheap, some even cheaper than chocolates!

So far, I only saw bottles in the range of Euro 3-30. I did buy a bottle for my dad but it was in Paris that I bought it. Highly recommended by Guyon are those labels from St. Julien, St. Estephe & Pomerol. The one I bought costs Euro 75 (duty free).

Chateau d'AZAY-le-RIDEAU

by Lalique

The castle dates back to XVI cent. Chateau represents the masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Was built by the Treasurer of France Gilles Berthelot during the ruling of Francois I. However Chateau was a worthy expression of Treasurer's dazzling career and he fell under suspicion and was forced into hasty flight.
In XVIII cent. the estate was bought by Marquis de Biencourt who together with his descendants returned the castle to a splendour worthy of its past.

Chateau is in the bend of Indre river and thus runs the rick of being flooded every Spring. That's acutally what we witnessed being there. That roaring river under the bridge on the pic is just a shallow stream during other seasons.
Be ready that this Chateau will be full of tourists. It's one the MUSTs in every organised coach tour.

Pay to visit

by Sharrie

The Cathedral visit is free. The exploration of the Cloister is not. It's worth every single cent though. Admission fee is Euro 2.50.

I have no problem with this. It's a cathedral & one that I felt an affinity with. & that's just a small donation.

Here, it's a self-guided tour. You'll be given a pamphlet describing in details different sections of the cloister.

Center of the Loire Valley

by yooperprof

"The Good Life in Tours!"

Tours is a major city in the Loire Valley, place of several important French language institutes, and a very good place to use as a base for touring the center of the Loire Valley. The Tourangeau (residents of Tours) are unfailingly friendly, and speak in pure and clear tones which makes this an excellent place to be a student of French, or simply a visitor who wants to practice it.

Tours has a medieval heart. The Cathedral is certainly worth a visit, as are the surrounding neighborhoods. The city also has its share of newer areas. Tours was strategically important in World War II and suffered bombing both from the Germans and the Allies. Of course, war is nothing new for Tours. Joan of Arc passed through here after her celebrated victory at Orleans in 1428.