Quartier des Halles

Les Halles de Tours is the town's covered food market, a large hall of glass and metal on the Place Gaston-Pailhou in the Vieux Tours district, a short walk from the lively Place Plumereau and the Loire. Markets have been held on this part of the city for well over a century, and the halls today combine a traditional food market with a modern complex of shops, so they are both a place to buy lunch and a window into the food culture of the Touraine, the region known as the Garden of France for its orchards, vineyards and market gardens.

The stalls reflect the region's produce. The Touraine is famous for its goat's cheeses, above all Sainte-Maure de Touraine, a log-shaped cheese with a straw through its centre, as well as Selles-sur-Cher and Valençay, and cheese counters here offer them at different stages of maturity. Charcuterie stalls sell the rillettes de Tours, a soft spread of slowly cooked pork, and rillons, small cubes of pork cooked in their own fat, which are two of the city's best-known specialities. Fruit sellers offer apples, strawberries and melons in season, and poires tapées, pears dried in the oven and flattened, are a traditional sweet from the area around Rivarennes. There are fishmongers with produce from the Atlantic coast, butchers, bakers with traditional loaves and pastries and stalls selling the wines of the nearby appellations such as Vouvray, Chinon and Bourgueil.

The market is a good place to eat as well as shop. Several counters and restaurants in and around the hall serve oysters, charcuterie plates, regional dishes and glasses of Loire wine, and many locals shop and have lunch here on Saturdays. Outdoor stalls fill the square on certain days, adding fresh vegetables and flowers, and the atmosphere is cheerful, with stallholders offering tastes and advice. Arriving in the morning is best, when the choice is widest and the hall is bustling but not yet crowded. A tote bag helps, and carrying cash is useful for small stalls.

The Halles are well placed for a stroll through central Tours. The Place Plumereau, a square of timber-framed houses from the fifteenth century, is lined with café terraces, and the Cathédrale Saint-Gatien and the Basilique Saint-Martin, with the tomb of the saint, are not far away. The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours, in the former archbishop's palace, and the Château de Tours are other stops. The Cité de l'Image and the Parc de la Gloriette offer further variety. Outside the city, the Château de Chenonceau and other Loire châteaux are within an easy drive or train ride.

The market suits food lovers, families and travellers who want a taste of local life. Allow an hour to browse and eat, and combine it with a walk through the old streets. Opening hours differ between weekdays, Sundays and public holidays, so check locally, and note that some stalls close at lunchtime.