Tours
The Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines and for the perfection of its local spoken French.
The name of the city comes from the ancient Gallic tribe called the Turones. In Roman times it was known as Turonensis.
Saint Martin of Tours was bishop at the end of the 4th century, and his tomb became a major pilgrimage site; the church of Saint-Martin was one of the great Romanesque pilgrimage churches, like Saint-Sernin in Toulouse and Santiago de Compostela.
The Battle of Tours was fought on October 10, 732 between forces under the Frankish leader Charles Martel and an Islamic army led by Emir Abd er Rahman. The Franks defeated the Islamic army and stopped the northward advance of Islam from Spain.
The Touraine was a county at the time of the Carolingian rulers (751 to 987 AD). The Vikings pillaged the town in 853 and 903. By 1044 it was held by the counts of Anjou.
During the reign of Philip II, the Livre Tournois (Tours Pound) was adopted as the international currency of France.
Tours Cathedral
Today, with its extensive rail (including TGV) and autoroute links to the rest of the country, Tours is a jumping off point for tourist visits to the Loire Valley and the chateaux of the kings.
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