I have visited Tours last week. This city is located in Region Centre (or the Loire Region), near Paris (1 h by train) and some Loire towns such as Amboise, Blois and Orleans. France offers an unfinished list of regions to discover and Loire Region is certainly, a clever start. It is surprising how this city of only 150 K souls has a splash of wintery colours to show on every corner, on the markets, on its people.
 Local people, called Tourangeux proudly affirm that this city is a mini-Paris (to be honest, there are at least 10 other cities in the provinces of France that tell the same story to the tourists : our city is a Mini-Paris !). On the opposite side, it is commonly accepted, not only by the Tourangeux but also by other regions that in Tours, the purest French is spoken. Parisian would surely not accept that however.
Loire river clearly offers a scenic view to this city in the Centre and downtown Tours is such a charm to the eyes : its cobbled streets, lined with Middle Age / Renaissance half-timbered townhouses adorned with exquisitely carved figures. Place Plumereau (or Place Plum for the locals) at the heart of downtown is a square that clearly absolves all the soul of this city, of this calm and sweet region of the Loire. At this place you can easily grab a beer with friends or take a morning coffee and a croissant.
And now, the colours, I have mentioned below, indeed. Well I have visited the Halles Market (Les Halles), outside version (there’s a Halles Market within the building I called the inside version). It is clearly a charming small place to understand local cuisine and French tastes.
Those colours are not only reflected in the vegetables and fruits but also by talking with sellers and some shoppers of the charming of simple stuff.
Article by Frozen Sailor