The end of our adventures… for now!
Our foray into the city of Tours began upon arrival with an evening walk, and were immediately charmed by the city’s beauty. Next day, we visited the cathedral of Saint-Gatien. It’s a magnificent late gothic church with gorgeous stained glass and a handsome organ. We were there when the organist started rehearsing Bach’s Air on the G String, and then something contemplative from the French romantic school, which were magical in the great resounding space. I loved how the handful of visitors in the cathedral all stopped to listen. The windows in the nave’s north clerestory and transept are modern, added after damage in World War II. There are three shimmering rose windows, and abundant medieval glass too.
For an extra Euro or two, we also visited La Psalette cloister on the north side of the cathedral. Years ago, Mark learned that, if there is a little surcharge to see a special area, one should always take advantage of it. You will see the best the site has to offer, often with fewer people. As anticipated, there were only two other people there. The late gothic cloister with a renaissance spiral staircase in one corner, was indeed beautiful. There were fascinating gargoyles, and some beautiful stained glass in an upper library room. These were made and installed in the ’60s. An adjacent scriptorium’s windows incorporate a few fragments of early glass.
The Roman Catholic Basilica of St. Martin of Tours is a modern church, dedicated in 1925. St. Martin was a fourth-century christianized Roman cavalry soldier, later stationed in Gaul. He eventually became a monk, and lastly bishop of Tours. He is remembered for charity to the poor. You may recognize the portrayal of him as a roman solider on horseback, using his sword to split his cloak to share with a shivering peasant. Upon his death in AD 397, Matin was buried outside the original city limits, and a shrine grew up over his burial site. Over the centuries the shrine was built and rebuilt, finally being demolished during the French Revolution, when its site was built over with a street and houses. Two of its corner towers remain: the clock tower, and the “Charlemagne” Tower, the latter visible from our apartment. The present basilica is closely associated with the the conservative Catholic revival that followed the Paris Commune of 1871. It was built at right angles to the demolished medieval basilica, with the altar of the new basilica on the site of the medieval altar, over the tomb of Saint Martin, the latter in a crypt chapel beneath. The new basilica is a grand and handsome building in a somewhat improbable Romanesque-Byzantine revival style.
One day, we walked from the historic center of Tours across the Pont du Fil (wire bridge) over the Loire, to the small village of Paul Bert. On a holiday weekend, with schools and businesses closed, it was ghostly quiet — we barely saw a human being. Perhaps everyone had walked across the river to Tours for a holiday (see below). When we approached the village’s church of Saint-Symphonien, we fully expected the doors to be locked. Happily for us, they were open and we popped inside. It has an unusual wedge shape, adapted to an oddly-shaped intersection, but defly handled by the centuries of architects, almost unoticable from inside. As Markipedia notes, it is a textbook example of all the phases of medieval architecture (Romanesque through late Gothic, and even some early Renaissance). On the way back in Tours, we took a few photos of the stolid Château de Tours, now a museum of photography.
The Tourangeaux know how to have a good time. You can feel the cheerful energy as you walk down the streets and see everyone out for apéro, dinner, or an ice cream. On the weekends, on the banks of the Loire River, they have the guinguette which, in 18th-century Paris, referred to a type of “tavern.” In Tours it’s quite a party with live music and dancing. Reminiscent of scenes in old French and Italian movies, but with the latest pop music. Everyone, from kids to seniors (like us), is welcome and the vibe is seriously chill. The names of bands — all with stylish names in English — had us laughing. Goat Cheese. Dirty French Kiss. Chem Trails. It was a beautiful sight. In the photos you can see that the river was very high — the entire lower bank is flooded.
You already know how much I loved Les Halles de Tours, but here are a few more photos along with some of the twice-weekly flower market along the grand Beaux-Arts era Boulevard Heurtdeloup.
And, finally, you will get some food photos out of me. One you have already seen on Cocoa & Lavender (Crevettes au Paprika Doux), but the others are new in this issue: at “home” (our comfortable Airbnb rental) I made a Blanquette de Veau, and Remy’s Ratatouille (simplified version). One night we bought a roasted chicken from the market.
There were a several dishes we enjoyed when eating out, too: at Chez Tonton, we had a salad of whipped avocado and feta with endives, lemon zest, smoked paprika, sesame seeds, and light honey dressing, followed by stuffed eggs with capers. Au Lapin Qui Fume, a restaurant we found simply because of their street-side menu du jour posted on an ardoise (blackboard); there we enjoyed the seared duck breast with a walnut and Bleu d’Auvergne sauce (not pictured). And there’s always good gelato to be found Amorino is quite wonderful and can be found in several locations in Paris as well as in Place Plumereau.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of Tours, and that you will consider visiting this beautiful city.
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Carolyne
July 31, 2024 at 4:14 amWe have not visited Tours, but thanks to your photos is definitely on the list now. And, of course, the extra temptation of Amorino… 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 31, 2024 at 12:41 pmWe were so happy to find Amorino in Tours! The food there was fantastic. I think you’d really love spending some time in this little city.
Mimi Rippee
July 31, 2024 at 5:53 amHa! Love the smoking rabbit! Beautiful photos. And it’s hard to really show churches and their windows well in photographs. I really need to go to that area of France.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 31, 2024 at 12:40 pmIt’s such a beautiful region, and I’m really glad we just took the time to get to no one city. There was enough there to keep us busy for sure.
Mad Dog
July 31, 2024 at 6:20 amLe Lapin Qui Fume – très drôle! That reminds me of an antique shop on Goldbourne Road called Les Couilles Du Chien!
Fabulous architecture, stained glass and photography!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 31, 2024 at 12:40 pmI would certainly have taken a photograph of that antique shop! Glad you enjoyed this visit in Tours, Mad Dog!
Barb
July 31, 2024 at 8:05 amMagnificent architecture beautifully captured in your photos! The food pictures look delicious! You have done an incredible job creating these posts! You and Mark really know how to get the most out of a vacation!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:25 amThank you so much for acknowledging how much work it takes to put these post together, Barb. I do enjoy it, though, because it really takes me back to the places we visited.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
July 31, 2024 at 3:37 pmWhat a charming city of Tours – loving white stone architecture and gorgeous stained glass windows in cathedrals! You surely did have a great time in France! What’s the next place to visit? 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:20 amThe combination of the medieval, and the renaissance architecture was so amazing in Tours. I think it’s a small city that you and Andrew would really love. Next up for me? I’m headed to Botswana in the fall, and then we’ll go back to Spain and Morocco in the spring.
Barb
July 31, 2024 at 6:04 pmDavid, I left a comment this morning but it seemed to disappear! I’ll repeat, you perfectly captured the magnificent architecture! The photos of food look delicious. You and Mark certainly know how to vacation!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:19 amI hope I was able to fix the problem, Barb.
Barb
August 1, 2024 at 5:56 pmHi David, this is a test!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 4, 2024 at 11:18 amAnd a successful one at that!
angiesrecipes
July 31, 2024 at 10:15 pmThat smoking rabbit looks really cool! Mark and you had a fun time in France, don’t you!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:18 amWe do enjoy travel, especially staying put in one place for more than a couple of days. We really got a feeling of the community.
Raymund
July 31, 2024 at 11:04 pmWhat a fantastic wrap-up of your Tours adventure! Your food adventures are mouthwatering, those dishes sound incredible! Tours seems like a city that truly has something for everyone. Thanks for sharing your journey!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:17 amThanks for coming along on the journey, Raymund.
Susan Manfull
August 1, 2024 at 5:21 amAnd that’s a wrap… thanks for taking us all along, with beautiful photos and your detailed commentary as well.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 1, 2024 at 8:16 amThanks for joining me! I loved all your comments, Susan.
Inger
August 9, 2024 at 9:57 pmThere you go again David, making me want to go back to France (thought the Olympics are going that already) and making me want to get going and post a trip or two of my own. So I guess you get the inspiration award, not that that should be surprising!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 10, 2024 at 12:59 pmPlease post your trips — I have been waiting for them!
Inger
August 9, 2024 at 10:08 pmI should add that I (still) love the way you’ve pulled together related photos! Did that take forever? (she says, biting her nails)
Cocoa & Lavender
August 10, 2024 at 1:00 pmI did all the photo montages in Photoshop. Yes, it took a bit of time — but I have templates for sizing — two across, three squares across, etc. I’ve gotten pretty good at it.
Inger
August 11, 2024 at 9:29 amAh templates–that’s a good tip! Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 11, 2024 at 9:39 amHappy to help you figure it all out — let me know!
Valentina
August 16, 2024 at 6:10 pmEverything is so beautiful. And the market! A market like that in Europe is one of my favorite places on earth!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:21 amI want to return just for the market!