Department Indre-et-Loire hotels - Book hotels in France at great rates

The Département Indre-et-Loire is in central France in the historic region of Touraine. The main city of Tours is situated on the rivers Loire and Indre. The town offers many historic sights such as the former palace of the Archbishops with the Museum of Fine Arts, including works of Mantegnas und Rembrandts, the gothic cathedral of St-Gatien with the remarkable 13th Century stained glass windows and the well known Botanical Garden. There are many relaxing walks through the vineyards that cover the region.

Amboise is an interesting town built high above the river and in the 15th Century chapel of St-Hubert there is a commemorative plaque to Leonardo da Vinci who is said to be buried here. The Herrenhaus Museum has many models and artifacts of the great genius in mathematics, architecture and author. Da Vinci spent the last years of his life in this building.

The old town of Richelieu is surrounded with ancient walls with three gates and the historic Market Hall with its half-timbered construction is much admired by the visitor. The Grande Rue is the pulsating main street. Descartes is named after its most famous son, the philsopher and mathematician Descartes, where his birthplace is now a museum. On the Market Place there is a monument to this most famous son of the town. The area is easily reached along the motorway A10, Paris-Bordeaux or via the A85, Tours-Angers.

Population: 571 500 (2006)

Main towns: Amboise, Tours, Richelieu