We shun the easy, fast drive from Rennes to Tours via the motorway and opt instead for the scenic route. We head south from Rennes to Angers where we meet up with the Loire River. From Angers, the Loire still has a few hundred more kilometers to run to it's mouth on the Atlantic coast of France. The Loire is the longest river in France at just over 1000km and drains a fifth of all the French mainland.
At Angers we get on to a road that follows the Loire upstream all the way to Tours. This drive is very scenic with villages and towns dotted along the banks every 5 or 10km.
We stop at a few river side parks to get a closer look at the river and to have a cuppa. The Loire is wide, shallow and very fast flowing. The river level must be low because there are sand banks showing everywhere.
We expected to see a lot of river traffic but the only notable craft we saw was a very rough looking barge. In fact we never see any real river traffic on the Loire during our stay expect for a few canoes or kayaks. Very odd on such a big river.
As you would expect for such a large river in this region there are vast areas of agriculture.
Dotted along the banks are the occasion Chateau to complete the fairy tale scenery.
The most prominent Chateau we have seen so far is at the town of Saumur about 100km before Tours. The land generally has been very flat on either side of the river so it is not surprising that where the river runs close to a hill, as it does at Saumur, someone would build a Castle/Fort/Chateau. From its site atop a steep hill the Chateau has a commanding view of the river and the surrounding countryside; just what you need to defend yourself.
We arrive into Tours by mid afternoon and check into the YHA Hostel which like Rennes is only a few hundred metres from the old city quarter and the heart of the city. This hostel is five storys high more like a hotel than a hostel. The hostel's condition, particularly the bathrooms and toilets (both shared), is a bit run down and slightly dodgey. But it is safe, comfortable, clean and in a top location for touring. For about $55 per night we get bed and a filling continental breakfast. We hire a bar fridge for our room for $1 per day, and pick up high-speed, all you can eat, wifi internet connection 2 4/7 for $15 per week. We have come to realize just how important internet connection is to our way of life and enjoyment of traveling.
After breakfast the next day we hit the footpaths and lane-ways of Tours for some serious sightseeing. First item on the agenda a stroll along the banks of Loire River. The main bridge across the River is built of stone and is now named in honour of the American President Woodrow Wilson. It has had a chequered life. First the French blew up a span to slow down the German advance at the start of the WWII and then the Germans blew up a span to slow down the Allied advance at the end of war. At other times flooding in the river has damaged the bridge and in the 80s for no known reason two spans collapsed. Luckily on the day we were there it was fully operational and intact.
Just off the bank is an interesting sculpture of some giant dragonflies resting on a boat.
The Wilson Bridge leads into one of the axis of the city, Rue Nationale. The other axis is a Boulevard with a tree line median strip/park about 30m wide down the centre. Large parts of the city were bombed out during the war. This allowed some major readjustment of the streetscape to accommodate the wide main streets and boulevards.
The heart of city (where Rue Nationale and the Boulevards intersect) is a Place or Square bordered by the large grand buildings.
The architectural crowning glory of the main square has to be Hotel de Ville (City Hall)
The same architect also designed the main railway station
and the Grand Theatre.
Tours has been a major religious site almost since the time of Christ. The reason? Well, St Martin at the time a Roman soldier, gave half his cloak to a beggar who just happened to be Jesus. One thing lead to another and Martin the soldier became a Christian evangelist, then because of his good deeds, he became a Saint. (By the way Martin, the audioguide told us, has long been the most common first name for French males). St Martin was buried at Tours. A huge Bascilla was built to house his tomb. In the middle ages (5th to 15th centuries) Tours become the second holiest site in Christendom after Jerusalem. Tours became a major site of pilgrimage. The city grew to accommodate and service the pilgrims. Basically Tours is the city that devotion to St Martin built.
The original Basilica, in its day one of the largest building in the world, in late centuries fell into disrepair and general destruction. Finally some clever town planner knocked a good part of it down so he could put in a road. In the early part of the 20th century a new Basilica was built for St. Martins Tomb.
and inside...
Tours as you would expect has a impressive Gothic Cathedral.
with some pretty amazing stained glass windows.
The original medieval street layout of the old Tours city remains today along with many of its original buildings. The half-timbered timber houses that have survived are seriously cute and bear testimony to the skill of the builders and the fire-fighters of Tours.
This is the smallest house in Tours. Just that tiny strip of building in the middle with arched doorway.
The main square in the old city is about 100m long on each side making for Tours an unusually neat square. The buildings on the entire square are cafes, restaurants and bars. The Square itself is filled with hundred of tables and chairs. The chairs during most of the day and night are filled with people having a good time. A sight to behold but difficult to photograph successfully.
Tours like Rennes has a university integrated into it's inner city precinct. We wonder how they keep the students in the lecture halls and out of the cafes and bars.
Another thing we have noticed here like Rennes is that there is almost a total absence of laptops being used in public places. In all our time in Tours we have seen only one man sitting in a sidewalk cafe, using a laptop. When we went downtown late one afternoon to find an Internet hotspot (unsecured wifi network) to upload our blog we were constantly stared at by the passing locals like we were freaks. There are quite a few Internet "cafes" with lots of computers but very few customers. All quite different to home.
There is very little garden space in the main city centre. At the Arts Museum we came across the gardeners hard at work trimming the intricate garden design. So that is how it is done. Later on when we walked past we could see that they were also using string lines to ensure everything was accurate. Quite amazing attention to detail.
Ok, back to the history of Tours. Tours has a great connection with Joan of Arc. It was in the Tours Chateau that Joan of Arc came to meet the soon to be King Charles VII of France (this was after her first success at leading the French troops to recapture the city of Orleans from the English. They met in the Keep of the Chateau (the big round tower on the end of the building in the photo below.
A suit of Armour was made for Joan to help keep her safe in battle. That suit of Armour was made in this building with the little suit of Armour sign to mark the spot.
We don't know why but some times we feel so close to a particular historical event or person. It is as if Joan of Arc was just here in Tours yesterday. But it has been almost 600 years since she rallied the French troops in the main (old) city square that today is filled with hundreds of diners just 200m from where we are staying. It feels quite surreal at times.
Late one evening (here, at this time of year, the sun does not set until after 10.00pm) we took a stroll to check out the spectacular lighting of the major city buildings. The effect and the photos are quite amazing.
The days are so long, we have started having a rest after lunch (just like the locals). Because the sunset is so late the hostel is quite busy and rowdy until 11.30 or midnight. In the early afternoon the place is totally quiet.
There are a whole range of street markets in Tours throughout the week. Not on the same scale as Rennes but still interesting. The flower market is held in the tree lined median strip of the main boulevard Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The roses are stunningly beautiful.
John offered to buy Jenelle some roses, but she opted for a small flower pot of basil, ready to eat.
Also on Saturday there is a flea market in one square and farmer's market in another. All markets were diligently attended.
We've been trying lots of different types of cheese, fruits and meats. Mostly our purchases have been successfully tasteful. After a week of living on what seems like a diet of baguettes and pastries, we decided it was time to have a salad of what was in the fridge which included lettuce, cucumber, raspberries, a semi mature goats cheese, a second cheese we brought at the markets in Rennes, olives, tomato (bullock's heart variety), rockmelon and fresh basil. Of course no french meal would be complete without a glass of wine and some bread. Bon appetit!
As you can imagine in a city this old there is sure to be a lot of statues. Tours statues go from the sublime
Memorial to US Forces that served in France in WWI
...to the rather strange.
Monster Statue in Place Grande Marche, designed to scare the little kids.
