The Abbey of Saint-Julien is one of the oldest and least-visited monuments in central Tours, a Gothic church with a Romanesque belfry tucked just off Rue Nationale. The cloister and surrounding monastic buildings now house the Musée des Vins de Touraine in their medieval cellars and the Musée du Compagnonnage upstairs.
The abbey is worth a few minutes in its own right — the interior is austere, with a fine 13th-century choir and remains of medieval wall painting. The Romanesque tower next to the entrance is one of the oldest pieces of architecture in Tours, dating to the 11th century. Free entry; the museums on the same site charge separately.