Tours walks

A walk to discover the architectural heritage of Tours. Must-see sites, but also pretty, discreet places that I have discovered over the years.

From the Botanical Garden of Tours to the Priory of Saint-Cosme, home of Ronsard (admission fee), via the Château du Plessis built by Louis XI and the banks of the Loire, take a walk to discover the green spaces of western Tours and La Riche.

The city of Tours has three trees and a garden classified as remarkable by the A.R.B.R.E.S. association (Arbres Remarquables: Bilan, Recherche, Études et Sauvegarde - Remarkable Trees: Assessment, Research, Studies and Preservation). Discover them on this walk, which will also introduce you to other beautiful trees in Tours and several small and large public gardens. The tram connects the starting and finishing points.

Far from the city centre, take a stroll to discover the green spaces that dot the banks of the Cher Tourangeau.

A route to discover the west of Tours: the Gloriette plain, beautiful residences on the heights between Ballan and Savonnières, the village of Savonnières, the banks of the Cher and the banks of the Loire.

Just upstream from Tours, the hillsides are covered with Vouvray vineyards. In the cliff that borders them, endless galleries provide the ideal refuge for the beautiful bubbles of the wine they house to flourish. This route allows you to wind your way between vineyards and cellars in an environment where the tuffeau stone gives each house the air of a palace.

A route to discover the Vouvray vineyards, with their winegrowers' houses and a few manor houses, on the heights of the Loire Valley.

Starting from Saint-Avertin, a series of four circular routes allow you to discover the Parc des Brosses, the Forêt de Larçay, the landscaped cemetery and the Bois des Hâtes, beautiful green spaces to the east of the Tours conurbation.

Forest walk on the outskirts of Ballan-Miré.

A beautiful walk through fields, woods and hamlets. Some very beautiful residences, a few old mills in the Bresme valley and a Roman aqueduct.

Set off on a surprising audio walk, devised by the association "L'Autre Terre Libérée", to discover Luynes through an original story. Discover the town and its surroundings through the unusual story of Louis Rimbault, who founded his "Terre Libérée" school of vegan practices in 1923. Take a stroll through the town, listening to eight sound bubbles that tell you this unusual story!

Walk through fields and forests around Saint-Roch. This walk largely follows Saint-Roch footpath no. 1. The alternative route is between point (3) and point (7).

On the outskirts of Miré, this very pleasant, peaceful and easy route runs alongside woods and fields.

A walk through fields and forests, with a few troglodytes along the way.

Discover Monbazon under the gaze of the statue of the Virgin and Child perched on top of the 10th-century keep. The Indre Valley with its mills, castles, fortress and shops. Moderator's warning on 23/09/2020: Please note! Private property issue in (3). See reviews dated 14/09/2020

The Île de Bondésir trail first winds its way through flora and fauna before reaching a meadow bordering the Loire. The route then climbs to the heights of the town to discover a chic neighbourhood and enjoy beautiful views from the top of the chalk cliff.

A walk through the village of Vernou-sur-Brenne and the vineyards of the Vouvray AOC. Along the way, there are several information panels about the village and wine growing.

A hike through the vineyards on the heights of the Brenne valley.

Walk through forest and fields. Yellow markings (only in one direction, no markings in the opposite direction).

Walk along the banks of the Cher and in the countryside near Tours. Discover the village of Azay-sur-Cher, the Nitray needle dam and Beauvais Castle.

After crossing the village via a pleasant footpath and then a rather hilly route, you will reach the Nitray needle dam and then return to the starting point along the banks of the Cher.

Hike along the banks of the Cher between countryside and châteaux. The starting point is on the square on the banks of the Cher in Azay-sur-Cher (left bank). The hike is marked in yellow. In the car park, there is an old wash house fed by a spring. Along the route, at Port de Chandon and Écluse de Nitray, there are information panels describing the port's activities.

A beautiful circular route to discover the habitat and nature around Villandry, through the highlands and along the banks of the Cher, with the option of visiting the confluence of the Cher and the Loire and, if you have time, the gardens and the château. The village was called Colombiers in the Middle Ages: the name of its inhabitants remains as a reminder!

This short walk, accessible to all, allows you to discover the variety of landscapes surrounding the charming village of Villandry. You will pass some very pretty old houses, go around the château and its gardens, take some pretty paths lined with hedges and then pass through a small wood before ending your walk along the Cher river. All this in just under an hour!

A walk accessible to all, passing through pretty hamlets on the slopes of the Indre and in the Échandon valley. The charming village of Esvres.

Discover two streams, the Échandon and the Becquet, near where they join the Indre. Along the route, you will see some beautiful houses, a Gallo-Roman bridge and a Bollée windmill.

This is an easy hike that allows you to discover the Indre valley from the heights before descending to the banks of the river. You will discover several villages.

This route through fields and forests will allow you to discover numerous ponds, as well as the Château de Rochefort and the charming hamlet of La Roche Bourdeil.

Starting from the Manoir de Vonnes, cross plateaus and undergrowth on the right bank of the Indre. A priory, Calder's studio and the hillside above the Indre valley offer beautiful views of Saché.

Isolated in a landscape reshaped by modern man, a wild fountain, an old oak tree, a stone cross, a forgotten castle, a sacred fountain, a wash house, an oratory, mills, all remnants of a bygone era. To avoid a long stretch of road, see the alternative route from (11) to (14) in the Practical Information section.

The route is fairly hilly, often through woods, around the two Petites Choisilles streams. A passage on the heights offers a pretty view of the village of Nouzilly and its wooded hills.