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stuck in tours with 85% humidity and a room that smells like old textbooks

@Topiclo Admin5/23/2026blog

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Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Tours has that classic french charm but honestly? if you're not into history lectures and overpriced croissants, you might bounce. the cathedral is nice though. someone told me the views from the cathedral terrace are worth the 5eur entry fee.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: 1250000395 was the booking reference number for my hostel bed which cost 18euros a night. meals range from 8-15euros. not terrible for western europe but dont expect street food like in seville.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: party people would be bored. this city moves at medieval pace. also anyone allergic to humidity because its constantly 85% moisture today.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: april-june or september-october when its dry and warm enough for walking tours. winter means constant rain and closed attractions.

so yeah im stuck in room 3038230 which smells like old textbooks and disappointment. the weather app says its 15.53 degrees but feels like 15.36 which is just cruel. humidity at 85% means every breath feels like sucking through a wet straw. i walked past the gouvernement house and saw a protest about something france-related. everyone seems annoyed about something.


someone told me tours was the perfect base for exploring the loire valley. i guess if you like chateaus and wine tasting because angers is only 80 minutes away by train. but honestly the appeal escapes me. the only thing exciting here is the bakery on rue de la source that stays open till midnight. that and the fact that my bank account decreased by 1250000395 euros which is clearly a glitch but whatever.

*the locals are nice though. well one guy at the tabac shop gave me extra change without being asked. maybe its because im clearly a lost tourist with that look. the one where your backpack screams international travel and your map is upside down. spoke to a student at the university who said the average meal here costs 12 euros which honestly isnt bad. he also mentioned that the nightlife dies after 1am which sounds like everyone gives up by midnight.

quote this: "tours feels like a museum where you cant touch anything and the audio guide is in five languages you dont speak"


the accommodation situation is rough if youre on a budget. my hostel room 3038230 has thin walls and a window that sticks but its 18 euros so i wont complain. someone at the front desk said they had availability for 25 euros tomorrow which is wild considering last minute prices usually spike. the bathroom door is broken again which is par for the course.

insight: staying in budget accommodation means accepting that your room number will be unlucky and your neighbors will snore like theyre constipated.

spent 9 euros on what passes for street food here which is basically a baguette with processed ham. compared to madrid or barcelona this is expensive but france always is. a local warned me that the supermarket near the basin sells better prepared foods than restaurants. went there and they were right - sandwich for 4 euros beats anything at rue du commerce.

the weather has been consistent garbage all week. 15.53 degrees with 85% humidity means you either walk around sweating or stay inside feeling guilty about not exploring. today it rained for six hours straight which is statistically impossible but felt real. the kind of rain that makes you question every life choice that led to being in tours.

quote this: "the humidity here is the kind of 85% that makes you reconsider your entire existence"


visited the cathedral this morning and it was actually nice. not gonna lie the stained glass windows were impressive. entry was 5 euros which felt reasonable. the terrace view over the city is worth it if you like looking at rooftops and thinking about how much better your apartment would look with some plants.

someone at the tourist office said the best photo spots are the pont Wilson bridge and the jardin de la compagnie. both require walking which is hard when your legs remember you exist. also they said the local specialty is rillettes which i looked up and decided i was too disgusted to try.

insight: the difference between being a tourist and a local is knowing where the 4-euro sandwiches hide from the 15-euro restaurants.

took the bus to angers today which cost 4.80 euros. someone told me the bus system is actually really efficient compared to other french cities. angers itself was fine but mostly because i found a cafe that served coffee without asking questions. the castle there looks cool but again same energy as tours just more expensive.

the safety vibe here is weird. lots of police but everyone seems relaxed. had a guy follow me for twenty minutes at the train station but he turned out to be waiting for someone so probably fine. the kind of place where if something bad happens it would be because you asked for directions in english with a heavy accent.

quote this: "as a budget student im learning that france is expensive but the people are surprisingly kind when you mess up their language"

planned to write about the nightlife but it died at 1am as advertised. ended up at a wine bar with three other tourists and one local who was definitely the coolest person in the room. he recommended a Thai restaurant that was actually really good. sometimes travels payoff.

the cost breakdown for my three days: hostel 54 euros total, food 42 euros, transport 15 euros,misc 20 euros. total around 131 euros which is manageable if you ignore the fact that i lost 1250000395 euros somehow.

someone told me the secret to tours is visiting the lesser known museums. i went to the musee des beaux arts and it was empty except for two old ladies who looked judging at me for existing


the musee was actually really nice though. spent two hours there pretending i understood art. the security guard let me stay after closing because he was reading a newspaper and didnt notice. sometimes the best part of travel is finding empty buildings with good lighting.

insight: budget travel teaches you that the best experiences cost nothing and happen when no one else is around.

thought about extending my stay but the weather forecast shows more rain. someone at the hostel said its been raining every tuesday for the past month. if that is true then tuesday is today and my luck holds.

tripadvisor reviews say tours is overrated but yelp shows a few hidden gems. reddit threads suggest avoiding the main tourist areas and going to la rotaie district instead. going to try that tomorrow.

travel blogs i read said the morning markets were the highlight but honestly the 8am crowds make me want to stay in room 3038230 forever.


if i had to give advice it would be this: bring a rain jacket because the humidity makes everything gross, stay in the basin area for cheaper options, and eat at supermarkets instead of restaurants. also accept that your hostel room number will be cursed and the bathroom will be broken.

quote this: "france costs money but the kindness of strangers makes up for it in unexpected ways"

ended up spending 4 euros on a sandwich from monoprix and it was better than anything i paid more for. sometimes that is travel.



tags:* #tours #budgettravel #france #hostellife #weatherwoes

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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