The Touraine is a former province of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, the Touraine was divided between the départements of Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher and Indre. The Kingdom of France was organized into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. ... Location within France Tours is a city in France, the préfecture (capital city) of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to British counties. ... Indre-et-Loire is a département in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers. ... Loir-et-Cher is a département in north-central France named after its two principal rivers. ... Indre is a département in the center of France named after the Indre River. ...

Geography

Traversed by the Loire and its tributaries the Cher, the Indre and the Vienne, the Touraine makes up a part of the Paris Basin. It is well-known for its viticulture. The TGV, which connects Tours with Paris in less than an hour, has made the Touraine a place of residence for people who work in the capital but seek a different quality of life. The Loire is wide; here in Orléans, half of it is shown, up to a dividing half-flooded island. ... Cher is a river in central France, tributary to the river Loire. ... Indre is a river in central France, tributary to the river Loire. ... The Vienne River is a river in France. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Basin has several meanings: Look up basin in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... wine grapes Viticulture (from the Latin word for vine) refers to the cultivation of grapes, often for use in the production of wine. ... TGV trains depart from Gare Montparnasse in Paris to western and south-western destinations. ...

History

The Touraine takes its name from the Celtic tribe called the Turones. Nicknamed "The Garden of France," it was the retreat of kings at the end of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. A Celtic cross. ... The Turones were a Celtic tribe of pre-Roman Gaul. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... By region Italian Renaissance Spanish Renaissance Northern Renaissance French Renaissance German Renaissance English Renaissance The Renaissance, also known as Il Rinascimento (in Italian), was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ...

Touraine's history cannot be told without knowing how the name came to be. A Celtic tribe called the Turons inhabited the land later known as Touraine, nearly 2000 years ago. In 1044, the control of Touraine was given to the Angevins, who became kings of England in 1154 with the castle Chinon as their greatest stronghold. In 1205, Phillip II Augustus of France regained Touraine. It was then that Touraine was made into a royal duchy. The next historical event was in 1429 when Joan of Arc had an historic meeting with the future Charles VII at Chinon. Throughout the late 1400s and 1500s, Touraine was a favorite residence of French kings and the dark and gloomy castles were converted to beautiful Renaissance châteaux. These same châteaux are very popular tourist attractions today. The royal duchy later became a province in 1584, and was divided into departments in 1790.

Sights

The Touraine is celebrated for its number of châteaux, for example at Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chaumont, Chenonceaux, Chinon, Langeais, Loches, Villandry and Blois. A château (French for castle; plural châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of gentry, usually French, with or without fortifications. ... The Royal Château at Amboise is a château located in Amboise, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. ... Azay-le-Rideau, viewed across the Indre Azay-le-Rideau, built from 1518 to 1527, is one of the earliest French Renaissance châteaux. ... The Château de Chaumont is a French castle. ... Château de Chenonceau as seen from Diane de Poitiers gardens The Château de Chenonceau, near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France, was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before... Chinon is a town and commune of the Indre-et-Loire département in France. ... The Chateau de Langeais, Indre-et-Loire, France was originally built as a fortress in the 10th century by Foulques Nerra on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire. ... The chateau, as seen from the front. ... Backside of blois castle The Royal Château de Blois is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France. ...

The historic region of Touraine is home to many wonders and tourist attractions. Touraine's Châteaux number over a dozen, and their regal splendor stands out even more than the lush green valleys and beautiful farmlands and scenery.

Famous natives

• René Descartes
• François Rabelais
• Alfred de Vigny
• Honoré de Balzac

. René Descartes René Descartes (IPA: , March 31, 1596 – February 11, 1650), also known as Cartesius, worked as a philosopher and mathematician. ... François Rabelais (ca. ... Alfred Victor de Vigny (March 27, 1797 – September 17, 1863) was a French poet, playwright, and novelist. ... Honoré de Balzac Honoré de Balzac (May 20, 1799 - August 18, 1850), was a French novelist. ...