Tours is a city located in the centre-west of France. It is the administrative centre of the Indre-et-Loiredepartment and the largest city in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. Standing on the lower reaches of the River Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast - the surrounding district, the traditional province of Touraine, is known for its wines, for the alleged perfection (as perceived by some speakers and for historical reasons) of its local spoken French, and for the Battle of Tours (732). The city is also the end-point of the annual Paris–Tours cycle race.