This beautiful apartment was our home while in Tours for five weeks. The furnishing are just beautiful and what I imagine as quintessentially French. The high ceilings, lovely appointed location overlooking Place Des Carmes and attention to detail all work together to make the stay delightful Fabrice and Frederique have decorated the rooms beautifully and each room has its own particular charm, is comfortable and elegant. They have thought of everything from the cd player, selection of reading materials (in a variety of languages!) and an impressive basket of local tourist information to help to find things like cycling routes, train timetables and nearby points of interest.
The kitchen is a dream place to cook, it is all the little things that make the difference – the salad spinner, serving dishes and enough cutlery, crockery and glassware to have guests for a meal, all of which was very much appreciated. Other guests have left some condiments, tea, coffee and sugar so perfect to just add to rather than needing to start from scratch. I love to cook and this kitchen had everything I look for, great under bench lighting, efficient appliances, and plenty of utensils and sharp knives. (For me the only thing missing was tongs but they are there now!) Heaps of lovely serving dishes, salad bowls, water jugs, vases and a coffee machine too + a small bodum plunger. If the kitchen is the heart of a French home, in this apartment the heart is beating very strong and much loved, as it was a pleasurable place to cook all the yummy wonderful local produce.
The beds were very comfortable and each room furnished with its own personality. We really appreciated the two ensuites when we had guests as it provided privacy for all. We chose the Balzac room as the ensuite had the bathtub which we just loved, a great place to soak after much cycling and walking.
We loved being located in the old quarter as everything was within walking distance. Tours is an ideal location to pivot out from to visit the many chateaux and other towns of interest. The transportation system of trains & buses is perfect for getting to many locations without the hassle of parking. If time permits take a ride on the tram too. The open spaces and parks are beautifully maintained and our favourite became the playground and park area within the Musee des Beaux Arts grounds, so tranquil and picturesque, the Jardin Botanique are also well worth a visit on Boulevard Tonnelle, but a bit more of a hike. The apartment can be noisy at night particularly during the first week when the Universities students return – we found this to be a week-long party for many students!
Shopping hints: Les Halles for lovely fresh local produce and the Saturday Farmers Market in the adjacent carpark is divine. A number of small local supermarkets nearby primarily Carrefour – one just near Les Halles and the Monoprix store on Rue National has a good size store at the rear. The hypermarket at Saint Pierre Des Corps is huge and has an amazing selection of wines and foods (a gentle 5 km bike ride on lovely dedicated cycling lanes and also on the bus route too). Great coffee beans from Coffea Decouvreurs de Saveurs on Rue Bretonneau (will freshly grind for you) just near Les Halles. Best latte and mocaccinos Le Petit Atelier – 61 Rue Colbert, secret is they use real milk – something the coffee connoisseur will appreciate. The best place to taste and buy local wines is Maison des vins de Tours, 25 rue du Grand Marche (not open everyday & closed during the week for a lunch break so check for opening times before popping in).

We had the pleasure of renting this spacious, well-organized apartment for a week in July, and were, for the most part, delighted with our decision.

We arrived by train, and took a taxi to a location near the apartment. Note that taxi's are not "waiting" outside the Tours train station, so you may need to call one. Fabrice and Federique (owners) provided directions to the apartment in French - which was very helpful. Though we arrived around noon, several hours before the apartment would be ready, the apartment manager met us there, and allowed us to drop off our bags, and quickly change - a welcome treat after flying all night.

The location of the apartment can't be beat. The walk to the main square (Place Plumereau) was five minutes. There you will find an array of different restaurants, some better than others, of course, but a very lively location. We went to the same little shop for a fresh croissant and cafe au lait each morning. The Sunday market was about a 20 minute walk - and allowed us to get fresh provisions for the week - cheese, bread, wine, fruits. The well-equipped kitchen allowed us to have wine and cheese, etc. in the apartment each night before going out for dinner. We could have cooked meals as well, but opted to eat out for the most part. The apartment also had a washer, dishwasher and great closet space in the bedrooms, making a longer stay very convenient.

The tram that takes you directly to the train station was about 3 blocks away - about 10 minutes. This was very handy when taking a train to see the various sites in the area. We visited Chinon, Chenonceau, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau by train. It was easy to buy the tickets at the Tours train station - note: ask about the discount for visiting more than one chateau - and also for taking the train outside of rush hour.

After five days, we picked up a car so that we could go further afield. The parking garage was nearby, and the GPS made it easy to get around. Parking was €12 per day, I believe. You may be able to get a weekly rate, but we didn't do this as we had the car there for just two nights.

The apartment is also just ten minutes from the river which allowed a nice, leisurely walk after eating a good meal.

The only downside to our stay was the noise in the little courtyard late at night. It appeared that students, having closed the bars, then found our little public courtyard, and continued to drink, converse loudly, and sing into the wee hours. There is apparently an ordinance against this, but no one was enforcing during our stay. However, many may not experience this as Tours was unusually hot during our stay (reached 100 F two days!), and so we wanted to sleep with windows open. Once closed, they really did block out the noise, but then it was a bit stuffy, though fan helped somewhat.

All in all, we very much enjoyed the apartment, and all interaction with the owners. We also enjoyed Tours itself, and found it to be a delightful place from which to base during our week in the Loire Valley.

Tours is not our favorite city in France, but we chose it due to the proximity to Le Mans as our son wanted to attend the race.

The very well appointed apartment is situated within very easy walking to a large indoor /outdoor market, numerous bars and restaurants, food and sandwhich shops ,Carrefour and the river walk, which is well worth seeing. The apartment is located on a secluded square facing a small park.

We arrived by car, the owners directions precise and ample parking is nearby. I recommend the underground lot. Turn right onto Rue Tanneurs, only choice, and it's 75 meters or so on your right.

If you happen to be a model train enthusiast, a surprise plus is a hobby shop , RC 2000 , a 5 minute walk from the apartment on 32 rue Tanneurs.

Our welcome was warm . The overview of the apartment through, germane and in flawless English.
The apartment was excellent , the water hot and plentiful, the kitchen fully equiped with dishwasher and for American visitors, a full freezer with ice cubes.

You will not be disappointed.