Learn French in Tours, in the Loire Valley
Tours is the largest city of the Centre-Val de Loire region, surrounded by the châteaux and vineyards of the Loire Valley. It has long attracted learners of French, partly thanks to its reputation for speaking the clearest French in the country. French Ultimate is an online course, so you can learn from home in Tours and practise in town.
French in Tours
French is the official language in Tours, as in all of France. The city had about 139,000 residents in 2023 according to INSEE, and more than 30,000 students in 2019. Tours has an old reputation for the purest French, without an accent. The idea goes back to the 15th and 16th centuries, when the Valois kings lived in the Loire Valley and the speech of the royal court was seen as the best French. In the 19th century the writer Alfred de Vigny praised Touraine's French as the purest. Today the reputation survives mostly abroad: the local accent is close to the standard, but that is a reputation rather than a measurable fact.
Why people in Tours learn French
Tours has welcomed foreign learners for more than a century. The Institut de Touraine has taught French to international students since 1912, and the city's university draws students who need French for their degree. Others come to work in tourism and wine, since the Loire Valley's châteaux and vineyards attract visitors all year, and hotel, restaurant and guiding jobs need good French. Tours is about an hour from Paris by high-speed train, so some people choose it as a quieter base while still reaching the capital for work or study.
The French you'll hear
The good news for learners is that the French of Tours really is easy to follow: clear, unhurried and close to what you hear on national news. Local vocabulary comes from the table. Rillettes are slow-cooked shredded pork kept in its fat, and rillons are larger pieces of pork belly cooked the same way, both Touraine specialities. Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine is a log-shaped goat's cheese, and Vouvray and other Touraine wines appear on every menu. Learning to order these in French is a nice first step.
- Je voudrais des rillettes de Tours, s'il vous plaît.I would like some Tours rillettes, please.
- Quel château me conseillez-vous de visiter ?Which château do you recommend visiting?
- Un verre de vouvray, s'il vous plaît.A glass of Vouvray, please.
- Le train pour Paris part de quel quai ?Which platform does the Paris train leave from?
- Vous pouvez répéter plus lentement, s'il vous plaît ?Could you repeat that more slowly, please?
French exams in Tours
The Institut de Touraine in Tours is an official DELF and DALF exam centre, where you can take the national diplomas at all levels. It also lists the TEF among its tests. The DELF and DALF are valid for life and recognised worldwide. If you need a TCF for a residence card or a nationality application, check France Éducation International's centre finder for the nearest approved TCF centre, as the version required depends on the procedure.
Check dates and fees with the exam centre directly; they change every session.
Where to start in the course
French Ultimate is an online course, so you can follow it from Tours or anywhere else. These topics are the most useful here:
Questions about learning French in Tours
Is the French in Tours really the purest in France?
It is a reputation, not a measurable fact. It dates back to the royal court in the Loire Valley and was repeated by writers such as Alfred de Vigny. What is true is that the local accent is close to standard French, so Tours is a comfortable place to train your ear. Every region's French is correct French.
Do I need to live in Tours to learn French well?
No. Living in Tours gives you clear French all around you, but the core of learning, vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking, can be done anywhere. French Ultimate is an online course, so you can start before you arrive and keep going while you are here, then use Tours itself for real-life practice.
Where can I sit the DELF in Tours?
The Institut de Touraine is an official DELF and DALF centre in the city. French Ultimate has no school or exam centre in Tours, but its DELF B2 preparation unit and mock exams cover listening, reading and writing, so you can check your level and practise the format before registering.
Learn French from Tours, at your own pace
Animated video lessons that stop for your answers, speaking practice, graded stories and DELF/DALF mock exams, from A1 to C2. Start with the free placement test to see where you are.
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