Tours City Map Poster

About Tours

Tours is situated on the lower reaches of the river Loire between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. The city is in a transitional area between North-Central France and South-Western France, with an average elevation of . It lies on either bank of the Loire River, about from where it joins up with its tributary Allier at Candes-Saint-Martin. This transition point has resulted in a landscape which is very different from much of central France; for example, Tours stands at one end (the south) of a region known as "French Switzerland" ("Pays de la Loire"), while vineyards are extensive within Tours itself. The highest point in central Touraine (and also that outside Pays de la Loire), rises to above sea level: this area includes Montrichard Hill (), west southwestward over Indre by Sainte Catherine's Church () to Saint Martin's church ().