The south bank of the Loire between the Wilson Bridge and the Pont de Fil is the city's open-air living room from May to September. Sandy beaches appear when the river drops in summer, popular with sunbathers and casual fishermen. Pop-up bars — the guinguettes — set up along the embankment with cheap drinks, deckchairs, and live music most evenings.
The cycle path along the south bank is part of the Loire à Vélo route, which runs the length of the valley from Cuffy near Nevers to the Atlantic. Even an hour out and back from Tours, either upstream toward Rochecorbon or downstream toward Savonnières, is a fine way to see the river close up.