Tours is a graceful city at the meeting of the Loire and the Cher, with a population of about a hundred and forty thousand and a long history of being the place where things happened. In the fourth century, a Roman soldier named Martin, who famously cut his cloak in half to share it with a beggar, became bishop here, and his tomb drew pilgrims from across Europe throughout the Middle Ages, making Tours one of the great spiritual centres of the Frankish world. The basilica built in his honour has been destroyed and rebuilt, and today two towers of the old church still stand beside a modern basilica.
The old town is a delight, with narrow streets and half-timbered houses around the Place Plumereau, a square full of café tables and student life. The cathedral of Saint-Gatien, a Gothic building with a flamboyant façade, took centuries to complete, and its stained glass is among the finest in the region. Tours was also the home of Balzac, who was born here in 1799 and wrote about provincial France with a ferocity that locals find amusing now. Food here is rich and traditional, with rillettes, pork spread in jars, cheeses from goat's milk and white wines from the Vouvray hills, made from the Chenin Blanc grape.
The ride from Orléans ends here after a leisurely stretch of the Loire, and it is a ride of châteaux. Within easy reach of Tours are Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years, Villandry with its remarkable formal gardens, Azay-le-Rideau on its island, and Chenonceau, built across the river Cher. The roads between them are gentle, flat and pretty, with the river often in view, and there is no great challenge to the rider, only a slow, pleasant day. Expect crowds at the big châteaux in July and August, so choose the lesser ones for some peace.
Fuel and services are easy in Tours, and La Riche, on the western side, is closer to the road out. The city has a tram and heavy traffic, so give yourself time. The Loire here is wide and shallow, with sandbanks and herons, and in late summer the water can be very low. Winters are mild and often damp, and spring brings blossom. A glass of Vouvray, a plate of rillettes and a view of the river is a fine way to end the day.