The association “PRÉSENCE CATHÉDRALE” was founded in 1989. Under the responsibility of the parish priest of the cathedral, its purpose is to showcase the cultural and spiritual heritage of Saint-Gatien Cathedral in Tours.
It welcomes tourists in a hurry, believers and non-believers, pilgrims seeking a moment of reflection, groups of children and secondary-school pupils, visitors from abroad who add this cathedral, a superb link between Gothic and Renaissance, to “their” châteaux of the Loire, and finally French people from all over the country, eager to rediscover the roots of their heritage or to walk in the footsteps of Saint Martin, for example.
Our guiding, attentive to everyone, aims to give a cultural and above all spiritual meaning to their visit, offering a meaning beyond the artistic one to the stained-glass windows they admire.
But what matters most is that, after crossing this great vessel of stone, raised by the people of the past for those of today, each of them leaves changed, touched by this beauty that bears witness to God.
Our welcome volunteers, wearing a badge, are in the cathedral from Easter weekend to 11 November (the winter feast of Saint Martin), on Fridays and Saturdays from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 pm to 5 pm.
For group visit requests, you can call: 07 66 39 84 11.
Website (in French): https://visite-cathedrale-tours.fr/