Tours, France: Could I live here?
Arriving in Tours
Tours the largest city in the region Central Loire, France and sits on the Loire River. It has a population of around 138,000 while the population of the whole metropolitan area is around 526,00.
Like a lot of cities in France, the historical center of Tours is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are lots of beautiful gardens and its urban landscape has been strongly influenced by its natural spaces.
I took four, yes four, trains to get to Dijon. It was supposed to be three trains, but because of an issue with one of the tracks, it ended up being four trains. It was nothing short of a miracle that I found the trains that I needed to be on in time to board. I knew this was going to be a tough day, but every time I got on the right train, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Beautiful Tours
Pros of living in Tours
If you’ve been following my blogs about the places I am visiting in France with an eye to moving there, you will likely have noticed that the cities I am visiting all have a lot of the same “pros.” That’s because I came up with a criteria for what I was looking for, and am only visiting those types of places. So, bear with me if this feels somewhat redundant.
One of the first things I noticed about Tours was that it felt familiar. Not really like home, but somehow familiar, and I don’t really know why. It was just a feeling I got. Maybe because as beautiful as it is, it also feels a bit more gritty, edgy and “lived-in.” More like the Puget Sound than other places.
The city has beautiful tree-lined boulevards, a lovely historic center with a focus on pedestrians and one of the most beautiful parks I’ve every seen. There is an extensive tram and bus system. It is also a university city and feels vibrant and alive. Tours has a large covered market and a Saturday market where I saw meats that I would never see in an American grocery store. Produce, eggs, meats, cheeses and amazing breads are all available.
There are lots of museums, theaters and cultural opportunities. It has excellent restaurants and cafes. Some of the best pastries I’ve ever had in my life, I found in Tours. Even if I don’t move here, I will come back for the pastries. I had a croissant that was cut in half, put back together with almond paste, topped with almonds and then crisped up again. I planned to only eat half of it, but we all know how well that plan worked out. I will also come back for as the extensive shopping areas that have the most beautiful clothes and fabrics that I’ve ever seen.
Tours experiences mild and moderate weather throughout the year and there are four distinct seasons. While I’ve been here, it’s cold in the evenings and mornings, but warmed up through the day with the sun shinning, even if the temperature only reached into the 60’s.
Another bonus is the easy access to Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport. It is an hour to Paris, with 22 daily trains. There is an airport her, but it is regional not international.
Cons for living in Tours
Like some of the other larger cities, it just feels too big for what I’m looking for. It would take some time to become absorbed into the community, although there do seem to be many English speakers here.
Maybe it’s because of where my apartment was located, but there is an active nightlife, particularly on the weekends. It is also a university city, so students are out on the street into the early mornings on Friday and Saturday nights, laughing and having a good time. That’s all well and good…until I get woken up around 2am-3am in the morning with loud voices and laughter on the street below.
There are more homeless people in Tours than I’ve seen in other cities, but still nothing compared to a town of the same size in the U.S. I also notice kids, who do not appear homeless, randomly asking for money.
At the end of the day…
Could I live in Tours? Yes. Do I plan to move to Tours? No.
Although, as I mentioned earlier, it does feel familiar. I just think it’s a larger city than I’m wanting to live it. I will definitely visit for more sightseeing and shopping, but I don’t think Tours is the place for me. I might just make a trip back to
Just for fun…
While walking down the street, I saw a restaurant called Flat My Burger. Of course, that name means that I had to cross the street to try and figure out what kind of burgers they were serving.
Not in the least bit interested in trying one of these “flat” burgers, but I was intrigued to see what the French had come up with in a unique was of grilling a burger.
I love that some of them are named after U.S. States while hardly resembling what kind of burger that you would find in those States.
