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Weekend Breaks to Tours

Planning a short break to Tours? Check out Travel Library's recommended Top 10 Things To Do in Tours. It's a perfect companion for weekend city breaks to Tours. Once you've been you can add your own tips and suggestions to help other visitors.

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Top 10 Things in Tours on a Short Break

Musee des Beaux-Arts

18 place Francois-Sicard. This excellent provincial museum is housed in the Palais des Archeveques. The vast collection also contains some old masters here, including works by Degas; Delacroix; Rembrandt; and Boucher.

The sculpture collection includes works by Houdon and Bourdelle.

You can tour the gardens for free everyday from 07h00 - 20h30 and the museum is open Wednesday to Monday from 09h00 - 12h45 and 14h00 - 18h00. Admission is $4.80 for adults; $2.40 for students and seniors; and free for children under 13.

Cathedrale St Gatien

5 place de la Cathedrale. This cathedral has a Flamboyant Gothic facade flanked by towers with bases from the 12th century. The choir is from the 13th century, with new additions built each century through to the 16th century. Inside the cathedral is the beautiful 16th century tomb of Charles VIII and Anne de Bretagne's two children. Some of the glorious stained-glass windows date from the 13th century. The cathedral is open everyday from 09h00 - 18h00. Admission is free.

Markets

There are over 30 markets held in Tours every month. The gourmet market is held the first Friday of every month from 16h00 - 22h00 at place de la Resistance; the flower market takes place Wednesday and Saturday from 08h00 - 18h00 on boulevard Beranger; the flea market is held on Wednesday and Saturday from 07h00 - 17h00 at place de la Victoire; and the craft market takes place on Saturday from 09h00 - 18h00 at place des Halles. You'll find a great selection of local products on sale at all of these markets.

Musee du Gemmail

Located off rue Briconnet, at 7 rue du Murier. This museum is dedicated to an obscure, locally invented modern art form that uses fragments of backlit stained glass as a medium. On the site there is also a 12th century underground chapel. This is a very interesting museum to visit and is not to be missed. The museum is open April to November Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 - 12h00 and 14h00 - 18h30; and in winter weekends from 10h00 - 12h00 and 14h00 - 18h00. Admission is $4.80 for adults; $2.40 for students and seniors; and free for children under 13.

Chateau de Beaulieu

67 rue de Beaulieu, just out of Tours. This hotel is housed on a 17th century estate, and is a great place to spend your holiday experiencing the lifestyle of a time gone by. The hotel offers a range of facilities and services, including a restaurant; a bar; three tennis courts across road; and laundry/dry cleaning services. The beautiful and stylish rooms in the chateau all have air-conditioning; TV; minibar; hair dryer; and a full bathroom.

La Roche le Roy

55 rte. St Avertin. This restaurant is housed in a steep-gabled 15th-century manor, and is one of the most popular in Tours. The hottest chef in town, Alain Couturier, serves a range of excellent modern French dishes, some of his specialities are scalloped foie gras with lentils; cod with saffron cream; and panfried scallops with a truffle vinaigrette. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12h30 - 13h45 and 19h30 - 22h00. Reservations are recommended as the restaurant is very popular and tends to get full quickly.

St Martin Museum

3 Rue Rapin, near St Martin's Basilica. This museum houses exhibitions about the main events in the life of St Martin, as well as the history of the site and different buildings that have been built here since the first tomb was laid. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 09h30 - 12h00 and 14h00 - 17h30. Admission is free.

Hotel de L`Univers

5 bd Heurteloup. This is one of the best hotels in Tours, and is one of the most popular with visitors to the city. The stylish and comfortable hotel has a number of facilities on offer, including a restaurant; a bar; room service; and laundry services, pets are also allowed. The comfortable and cosy rooms all have telephone; TV; satellite TV; cable TV; air-conditioning; a minibar; and a full bathroom. The hotel accepts all major credit cards.

Les Tuffeaux

19 rue Lavoisier. This is one of the best restaurants in Tours, and it is housed in an old 18th century house, which creates an amazing atmosphere. Master chef, Gildas Marsollier, serves up a wide range of local dishes and he changes the menus about once a month. Roasted filet of pigeon with pink grapefruit is one of the longer lasting favorites. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12h00 - 14h00; and Monday to Saturday from 19h30 - 21h30. Reservations are required as the restaurant is very popular, especially in the evenings.

Military Service Corps Museum

rue du Plat d'Etain. This is another interesting museum, and it houses the remains of the Abbey of Beaumont.

It also has many interesting exhibitions that display arms; pennants; uniforms; and insignia illustrating the history of the Service Corps from when it was formed up untill the present.

The museum is open Sunday to Friday from 14h00 - 17h30. Admission is free.

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