Visiting Tours? Don't miss the Musée des Beaux-Arts! Housed in the former archiepiscopal palace, this exceptional museum boasts a remarkable collection ranging from the Renaissance to the 20th century. We loved wandering through its sumptuous rooms, which reveal a wealth of artistic treasures.
In this article, you'll find some useful tips to help you prepare for your visit and have a wonderful time!
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours?
Is the Musée des Beaux-Arts worth it? Our opinion:
Yes, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours is well worth a visit. Remarkable collections ranging from the Renaissance to the 20th century offer a delightful artistic panorama. The architecture of the former bishop's palace provides a sumptuous setting for these works, while the elegant formal garden invites contemplation. This is one of the best activities in Tours.
Why is the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours famous?
The museum owes its renown to its exceptional location in the former archbishop's palace, a remarkable historic monument. It also stands out for the richness and diversity of its collections, which cover several centuries of European art.
Our favorite moments
We really enjoyed wandering through the palace's magnificent rooms, but our favorite was the room devoted to twentieth-century landscapes on the second floor.
WHERE TO STAY IN Tours
In the city center
Enjoy the city, its restaurants and beautiful architecture.
- Hotel Ferdinand - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hôtel du Cygne - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel L'Adresse - check prices, pictures and availability
Near the station and around the city center
An early train? Or just a little more peace and quiet? Here are our recommendations:
- Hotel Les Trésorières - 5 stars - check prices, pictures and availability
- Aparthotel Central Parc Tours - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Oceania L'Univers Tours - check prices, pictures and availability
In the countryside around
Looking for a bit of peace and quiet, without straying too far from the city of Tours? Here's our suggestion:
- Hotel Domaine de la Tortinière - 20 min away - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Troglododo - unusual 25min away - check prices, pictures and availability
History in brief
The history of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours is rooted in that of its prestigious architectural setting:
- 4th century: Archbishops of Tours settle near the cathedral
- Middle Ages: Progressive construction of the palace with Romanesque chapel and State Hall
- 17th century: Bishop Bertrand d'Eschaux builds the classical tufa wing.
- 18th century: Addition of a second wing, monumental gate and formal garden
- 1801: Official creation of the museum after the French Revolution
- 1910: Relocation of the museum to the former archiepiscopal palace
Access: Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours
Where is the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours?
The museum is located at 18 Place François Sicard in Tours. From the garden, you'll have a lovely view of the nearby Cathédrale Saint-Gatien.
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- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
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- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
How to get there?
Access to the museum is particularly easy from the center of Tours. On foot, it takes just 9 minutes from the SNCF station to reach the museum.
Access to Tours is easy by car.
Driving time from Paris: 2h30
Driving time from Nantes: 2h
Parking
Several parking options are available close to the museum. You'll find the François Sicard parking lot directly on the square, and the Hôtel de Ville parking lot just a few minutes' walk away. Surface parking is also available in adjacent streets, with pay-and-display zones in the city center. We recommend arriving early in the morning to find a seat more easily.
DISCOVER Tours
Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating...
Best time to visit
We advise you to visit during the week to enjoy the more serene atmosphere. On weekends, opt for an early-morning visit to avoid the crowds.
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow at least 1 hour for the visit to discover the main collections.
If you're a painting enthusiast, you'll need more time to fully appreciate this rich collection. Beware: this ancient residence has several steps to climb between floors. Unfortunately, the museum is not accessible to people with reduced mobility, due to the building's historic architecture.
Advice on how to visit
We recommend you follow the museum's chronological itinerary, finishing with the temporary exhibition rooms.
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Visiting with children
The museum offers guided tours specially designed for young visitors, as well as creative workshops for children.
Schedules and rates
The museum is open Wednesday to Monday, 9am to 6pm.
Prices are as follows:
- Full price: €8.40
- Reduced rate: €4.20
Find out more on the official website here.
Guided tours
The museum does not offer traditional guided tours, but instead provides a digital tour that you can download onto your iPhone.
Catering
The museum doesn't have an on-site restaurant, but you can enjoy the gastronomic delights of the nearby Tours city center.
Find out more about our top restaurants in Tours.
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A setting at the heart of history
The former archbishop's palace provides an exceptional architectural setting for this museum. We were impressed by the elegance of the classical 17th-century tufa stone wing, a remarkable example of French architecture of the period.
You'll also discover the 18th-century additions, notably the imposing portal and the hemicycle-shaped courtyard of honor adorned with a frieze of waves, which bear witness to Monseigneur de Conzié's architectural ambitions.
You're also sure to appreciate the French garden, with its majestic Lebanese cedar. Planted in 1804 in memory of Napoleon's Oriental campaign, the museum's Cedar of Lebanon has become one of the largest in Europe. 31 meters high, 33 meters wide and with a trunk 7.5 meters in circumference, it impresses as soon as you enter the garden.
A rich and varied collection
The diversity of the museum's collections particularly appealed to us for their technical and stylistic richness. We enjoyed a serene stroll through sumptuous period-furnished rooms, bathed in a perfect luminosity that brought out the best in each work. On the second floor, you'll discover a room devoted to 17th-century French art, with several religious scenes, followed by Romantic works.
The room that impressed us most was the ballroom, with its impressive dimensions and large 18th-century French paintings by Dumont, Le Moyne, Restout and Boizot. You'll also appreciate the eighteenth-century landscape room featuring Houël, Crepin, Hubert Robert and Lallemand, as well as the portrait gallery where Vestier, Trinquesse and Charpentier reveal the art of French portraiture.
A living museum
The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours is also open to contemporary art! In addition to rooms devoted to modern art, temporary exhibitions are regularly organized. To find out more about artist residencies, visit the official website here.
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