tour de tours

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Tours, France, may just be the love of my life. I adore that town. Paris is absolutely beautiful, and I love it in its own way, but Tours? Tours feels like home. So when we arrived, it wasn't so much showing up at a destination as returning to a sacred place inside us. It was also especially poignant, because we don't know when or if we'll be back. Then again, we said that last October. And, well, you see how that turned out.

With that said, I really didn't do much all week. I did a little shopping, I made a (lengthy) trek out to one chateau, but mostly I just sat in cafés and read. Because let's be real - that's what I do when I'm at home.

Basically, this blog post is a list of restaurants. And bars. With a chateau thrown in for good measure. If you've followed this blog long enough, this really shouldn't be any kind of surprise to you. If you have the chance to go to France, by all means, spend a few days in Paris. But then, go to Tours. Go to Tours and soak up the slower pace, the sense of real French life, the authenticity. There, you just might find that missing piece of my heart.

xoxo,
E & B

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where to stay

Le Grand Hotel de Tours // Since we obviously didn't have our old apartment, this was a good runner-up. It is literally right outside the train station, so there's minimal luggage-hauling. Our room was huge. We had an actual king-size bed (although admittedly with crappy pillows), a desk, a sofa, two armchairs, and a cofee table. The bathroom was giant, especially by French standards, and had a big cauldron bathtub, which I did take advantage of on one cold night. And our two windows overlooked the train station and the place, which was beautiful lit up at night. Comfortable, convenient, and a decent price - what's not to love?

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where to eat

Le Lys d'Or // Our gold standard of creperies (no pun intended), Le Lys D'Or is in Place Plume, approximately, oh, 100 yards or so from our old apartment. Do you know how dangerous that is? My favorite savory crepe of theirs is the Savoyarde - ham, raclette cheese, and potatoes. My favorite sweet crepe is the salted caramel. We don't know why no one in America can make salted caramel sauce taste like this, but I could basically eat my way out of a tub of it. For a great, inexpensive meal in a picturesque location, this is a don't miss.

Dagobert // We found this restaurant toward the end of our stay last year, which is sad, because it's wonderful, and at a great price. They offer a phenomenal three-course menu for 30 euros a person that is out. of. this. world. I got butternut squash soup, roasted leg of lamb in red wine sauce with mashed potatoes and veggies, and speculoos cookie tiramisu. B got fois gras, roasted duck with mash and veggies, and the speculoos cookie tiramisu. Yes, it's as decadent as it sounds...especially when you add in my favorite bottle of Côtes du Rhone, La Vieille Julienne. That little sign above B's head is so true. Food is good, wine is better. All the happy faces.

Bar aux Vieux Chateau // This is literally where the locals eat. It's tiny and warm and there are two choices every day for lunch: take it or leave it. The day I went, they had delicious lentils with sausage, served with a green salad. My favorite part, though, is their crazy variety of seasonal homemade desserts. Normally I go for their tarte citron, but they were sold out on the day I went. I made do with creme caramel made with salted caramel (are we seeing a theme here?). I could literally eat there every day of my life, but then I'd weigh 500 pounds. So maybe it's a good thing I don't live right around the corner anymore. But if you go for a visit, be sure to stop in at least once.

La Souris Gourmand // The last time we went here, in June of last year, it was the hottest day of the year so far - not a good idea when you're going to a fondue restaurant. But this year? Well, November is perfect for fondue. November is even better for the Mont d'Or cheese - a giant melted Brie-like cheese in a wooden wheel served with potatoes, sausages, and bread for dipping. I cannot impress upon you the scary deliciousness of this. Served with a flat Vouvray and finished with lime sorbet drenched in vodka? Um, yeah....and the decor is pretty cute, too. Although they got rid of the toilet seat that was painted like a wedge of Swiss cheese, with a rat crawling througha  hole. I can't imagine why....

Le Bistrot des Belles Caves // We stumbled upon this favorite last year after a 28-mile round-trip bike ride to the Chateau de Villandry. Super fine-dining at a crazy reasonable price, we were sold. Even the wine isn't too crazily priced. You always start off with a complimentary amuse bouche, and then go with a starter (this time I got salmon), then a main course (fish), and dessert (cafe gourmand, duhhhh). It was as amazing as ever. Definitely worth a stop.

La Chien Jaune // We'd never been here because this restaurant is near the train station - the clear other end of town from Place Plume and our old apartment. But a coworker of B's suggested it, and went to dinner with us and his boss, sooo...yeah. We started with a delicious charcuterie (meat) platter, followed by a divine three-course meal (capped off with a cafe gourmand, OBVS), and several glasses of wine. A very local vibe, quiet and chill, this is a great place and it was close to our hotel. Deifnitely worth a stop.

Bar le Tourangeau // Okay, so it's not a restaurant. They don't have food - they have a microwave so you can heat up food you brought in Tupperware (literally). Or you can bring in fast food. But this might just be my favorite place in all of Tours. The bar staff is so incredibly patient with me and my bad French and my constant presence in the side of the bar, by the windows, always always always with a book (or four...) and journal in hand. Of all the places in Tours that feel like home, this wins all the awards. They have really good coffee. They have really good beer. They have really good wine. All at really good prices. I mean...just do it, y'all. When it comes to food, wine, or coffee, when have I ever steered you wrong?

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what to do

Château d'Azay-le-Rideau // Honestly, there are better châteaux. Chenonceau (omg, THE best chateau), Chambord, Villandry...but I've been to all those and I wanted a new one. And this one looked pretty. Except it was an hour bus ride, followed by a 30-minute walk along a highway to get to it. And then the entire facade is under construction so I never could get a really good picture of it. And there's nothing much to do in the "town" (I use that word loosely), so I didn't have lunch that day. But it was a pretty fall day, and I basically had the place to myself. And that wasn't too shabby.

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more photographic evidence

the train station from our hotel room balcony

Hôtel de Ville (town hall)

Dinner at Dagobert

Place du Monstre

My favorite table at Bar Tourangeau

And this was only round 1 of skincare purchase

The château Azay-le-Rideau

Place Plume - magical

When you're such a regular that the bartenders start drawing animals in chocolate powder on your coffee

Bar Tourangeau

The River Loire - cold and windy

A gorgeous last day in Tours

The door to our old apartment

Our favorite boulangerie

Our favorite Vouvray cave - La Capitaine