Tours

 

We had our final day in France, staying in Tours. We found it to be an amazingly calm, spacious, gentle city. The Loire river runs quietly through the centre.

The city dates from mediaeval times and there were sections of half-timbered buildings and narrow lanes.

The city is famously connected with St Martin of Tours (whom St Ninian visited in the fourth century). It's main Cathedral, however, is dedicated to another saint. St Gatien. Heard of him?

It's an enormously tall building in Gothic perpendicular style and has some beautiful stained glass.

And look what else we found on its doorstep ... A Camino route starts in Paris, goes through Tours and Bordeaux and then to St Jean Pied de Port.

This is the view from our hotel - chimney pots abound!

We had a lovely day wandering through quiet streets and lanes, and stopping occasionally for refreshments.

And we managed to achieve Neil's goal of eating galettes in every French city we visited!!

Music abounds here too - there were several shops selling instruments and making violins and cellos. It felt like a university town.

We're very grateful for our trip, and looking forward to being home to make music and join the joyful throng in Australia!!