When it comes to the arts and craftsmanship, Tours has no shortage of attractions on offer! Visit its museums and acquaint yourself with the “Italian primitives” and Touraine’s age-old craftsmanship; set off in discovery of the city centre’s art galleries or the latest contemporary exhibition everyone’s talking about. It’s all part of “the art of living Touraine-style”…

With the 72h City Pass, visit Tours and its surroundings at your own pace and at attractive rates! 9 tourist and cultural sites are included in this Pass: Castle and Gardens of Villandry, Castle of Azay-le-Rideau, Castle of Tours, Centre of Contemporary Creation Olivier Debré, Fine Arts Museum, « Compagnonnage » Museum, Natural History Museum, Saint-Cosme Priory, Psalette Cloister and a guided tour of Tours. The 72h Pass also offers numerous benefits, including bike rental, access to the little tourist train (from March to october) and discounts on leisure services.

Price: €6.50 (public price: €7.50) Nestling in the Indre valley, the Château de Saché was one of Honoré de Balzac's favourite places of inspiration, and today houses a museum dedicated to this great writer. The furnished rooms recreate the atmosphere of the 19th century, and the exhibition rooms display the collections, which include some 2,300 items: furniture, old editions, manuscripts (including three collections of corrected proofs of Le Lys dans la vallée), sculptures (including several original works by Auguste Rodin), paintings, prints, drawings and photographs. The two-hectare park invites you to contemplate the surrounding countryside, from the village of Saché to the Indre valley. Shows, readings, workshops and themed tours.

Price: €6.50 (public price: €7.50) Housed in a castle, the Grand-Pressigny Prehistory Museum presents the evolution of Man and his way of life over 200,000 years. Life-size reproductions of emblematic animals and humans enhance the sense of immersion in prehistory. The museum's rich collections invite visitors to explore the social, technical and economic aspects of prehistory, with a particular focus on the phenomenon for which Touraine is best known archaeologically: the Grand-Pressigny flints.

Price: €6.50 (public price: €7.50) From the remains of the ancient church where Ronsard is buried to the gardens that 12th century canons saw as a “paradise on earth”, the former monastery has retained its historical, spiritual and poetic dimension. Today, it offers a wide range of visitor itineraries linking different eras and arts through the prism of architecture, poetry and contemporary art. Its eclectic program, its facilities that appeal to all five senses and its interactive mediation are all invitations to learn, be surprised and relax, with family or friends. The Saint-Cosme priory is a timeless place whose forms never cease to renew themselves.