Each summer, the University of South Carolina offers a study program in Tours, France. Courses are held at the Institut de Touraine in the heart of Tours.
Tourism is the major industry.
The city is under an hour from Paris by TGV, the modern high-speed train, and there are departures for Paris almost every hour. USC's month in Tours coincides with numerous summer festivals. The Institut de Touraine was founded in 1922 and has a distinguished history of teaching French to foreign students, beginners as well as advanced, who come from all over the world for intensive immersion programs throughout the year. 2001 will mark USC twentieth anniversary in Tours. Courses are taught entirely in French by native speakers.