Jamikins & Bikerscott Go Francing - But Where to stay in the Loire Valley?

Jami,

Will you have a car in the Loire Valley, there are some gorgeous chambres d'hote but many would require a car. We stayed in a family-run cd'h near Amboise. Large chateau with a deer herd, three generations living there. Doubtful I will remember the name but it was a unique experience.

If you Google chambres d'hote loire valley, loads will come. You should be able to find something quite nice for 100 euro,. Much further south, around Bergerac, my most recent cd'h experience, we had dinner, bed and breakfast in a gorgeous place for 95 euros. You are generally you obliged to have dinner, without the room and breakfast was 60. So, Loire Valley prices should be similar.

Rooms at the Loire chateau were 65 with breakfast.

Confolens is lovely, my sister-in-law lives near there. Will query her about restos. I have to start writing things down.

If you ever get further down to the far SW, let me know, I woud love to meet you both.

Thanks so much for the information! We will definitely have a car.

We have been to the Dordogne twice and absolutely love the area so will probably to back again! We would also love to meet up!

Have a little look at Fauntevraud Abbey. If the cost is too high the village has two chambre d'hotes and the unicorn is to die for

should read, you are generally NOT obliged to have dinner

Hmmm - this place gets good reviews on tripadvisor...has anyone stayed here?

http://www.logisloches.com/index.php?version=uk&voir=logis

I stayed twice in the early 80's at the Chateau Des Tertres in Onzain (across the river from Chaumont). You have a nice view of the chateau from the hotel. Conveniently located between Amboise and Blois. nice little town. Fancy restaurant at the Loire bridge. I enjoyed the smaller Chez Collette in Chaumont - we ate there 5 times - once when they kept the restaurant open just for us on their early closing day!

jamikins, we have stayed on the loire twice now, once in amboise and once in Saumur, which we preferred.

Hwoever if it's a bit too far west for you, how about Chinon? we stopped there for lunch on last year's trip and thought it woudl be a great place to stay. loads of restaurants, shops, the castle, vinyards all around, and easy to get in and out of.

that B&B in Loches looks nice too, but we haven't made it to Loches yet so I can't help you with what it's like to stay there.

Thanks so much! It's so hard to decide - there are so many places to go hahaha!

We want to visit 3 chateaux while we are there (1 a day max) and I am thinking Chenonceaux, Chambord and 1 other (recommendations?) Maybe Cheverney? So I was thinking of staying closer to Amboise/Blois than Chinon...thoughts?

The rest of our day will likely be spent in attractive villages drinking wine and taking pictures. I'd like to stay somewhere with options for this because Scott will be driving and so he wont be able to drink during the day. And lets be honest, we drink alot on vacation hahaha.

I dont know why I am finding this area so difficult!

hi jamikins,

i'd never heard of Cheverney [I even thought it might be a misprint!] so i googled it - looks very interesting. both Amboise and Blois have their own chateaux of course as does Chinon. there are wine-tasting opportunities all around the area but most are outside the towns so being able to drive to them is an advantage.

the one you've not mentioned that I would suggest is Villandry - skip the chateau but don't miss the garden. it is the epitome of a perfect potager with lots of photo opps too.

ps - I googled "wine tasting in the Loire" and it came up with several B&Bs that suggest that they specialise in this; also companies that will organise a day's tour for you with this theme, which your DH may appreciate if he is the designated driver.

Ooooo...that would be perfect for us!! Will google that now!

As for chateaux - which ones do you recommend outside of Amboise and Blois? We do plan to stop at those as well, plus the 3...

Hi jamikins -

apart from the obvious ones which you have already mentioned, there are of course many other minor chateau. one we liked is Chaumont, not necessarily because of the chateau itself, but because of the garden festival they hold there every year. they haven't announced the theme for 2011 yet this year, but here's the website where they will:

http://www.domaine-chaumont.fr/index.php?page=programmation-2010&cat=120

also, we liked Villandry, [so much we've been twice] Saumur, Angers [there's a fantastic tapestry in the basement that they rescued from where it had been cut up in the French Revolution] Usse, and the Abbey at Fontavraud.

the michelin guide to the Loire has many more and is a very good guide to touring the area.

Le Logis du Bief is spectacular, and although I have never stayed there, we have visted and inspected the place, and have recpommended it to clients who have stayed there and loved it. Some are returning agina this year.

Loches is a great place to stay, being larger but very much less touristy than Amboise. It has better restaurants, the chateau is spectacular, and the Wednesday and Saturday markets are amongst the best in the region.

As for chateau to visit, skip Amboise, until you have visted all the others. Our clients like Chenonceau best, floowed closely but in no particuar order by Azay le Rideau, Cheverny and Montpoupon. The garden at Villandry is interesting, if you like plants all lined up in order

Staying somewhere where you can walk to wineries and drink is probably best done in the less picturesque parts of the Loire Valley: stay in somewhere like Vouvray and you can walk to tasting places (or even the caves themselves) but it isn't exactly pretty.

The garden at Villandry is interesting, if you like plants all lined up in order>>

not always, but these are very well done.

and they have now made an english garden which is the exact opposite.

In the Loire check out some of the smaller local chateaux or manor houses as a place to stay. Outside of towns the prices tend to be lower (of course not the de luxe places) and the experience can be fascinating. We stayed in the Chateau de Reaux near Chinon - which we found to be very reasonable - for the atmosphere, breakfast and tourist resources.

Chenonceaux was our favorite castle and the little town is centrally located and has an excellent restaurant/hotel called la Roseraie. The food was the best we had in 2 weeks in France, and the hotel is reasonable and charming. Website is www.hotel-chenonceau.com. Check it out on trip advisor.

Jami,

My sister-in-law got back to me with the name of a restaurant near Confolens. Five of us went there for Sunday lunch, it was wonderful. Must book ahead-- Auberge de l'argentor, 17 rue Guillaume Le Noble, 16700 Nanteuil en Vallee Phone: +33 (0)5 45 31 85 20 About half an hour from Confolens

They had two or three set Sunday lunches from 19 to 32 euros plus a la carte. This was in 2008.

Hope you get there.

Cath

Cath - thank you so much for the information - it has been duly noted in my trip planning docs!!!! Cant wait!

IMO you've picked great chateaux although be aware that there isn't a lot INSIDE Chambord (other than that Leonardo double staircase) but the absolute BULK of the place as well as the grounds (be sure to go onto the roof)..you're aware that prior to WW II a lot of the paintings from the Louvre were stored there for safekeeping, right?). Chenonceau...iconic (you willing to get up early one morning and hot air balloon OVER it?..not cheap but unforgettable experience) and then there's that garden at Villandry...a place the owners still live in. What's not to like?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g315796-d309025-Reviews-Chateau_des_Ormeaux_Amboise-Nazelles_Negron_Loire_Valley_Centre.html

This place always gets good reviews.

We have stayed in the Loire twice---once at the following place near Amboise. We loved it Sept. '07 and were treated royaly, but some people didn't, as you can see from the reviews.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g315796-d317238-Reviews-Chateau_de_Perreux_Amboise-Nazelles_Negron_Loire_Valley_Centre.html

In Sept.'09 we rented a small cottage near Chinon. It was wonderful and we loved Chinon, but for just a few days, IMO, I'd stay farther east.

From Amboise we toured:
Chambord
Chenonceau
Villandry
DaVinci House

All were fabulous.

From Chinon we toured:
Saumur
Balzac's House in Sache
Villandry(repeat)
Usse
Chinon Castle
Abbey Fontvraud
Azay de Rideau

IMO, the most impressive were:
Chambord
Chenonceau
Villandry

Good luck in your planning.

Thank you all so much! So we have booked at LOgis de Bief in Loches! I thnk we will definitely visit Chambord, Chenonceau and Villadry. Your help has been most appreciated!

jamikons - it looks very nice. perhaps you would kindly report back as there are always other fodorites seeking nice places to stay on the Loire.

Good choice. We'll be waiting for your trip review.

Dont worry, all our places have wifi, so in true tradition an ongoing trip report will be provided. To be honest we love settling in for the night and composing our trip reports/pics!

Just booked our eurostar to Lille - soooooo excited!!

When are you going to be in Epernay? Jeni(from our London trip) and I planned doing a Paris Amsterdam trip May 6 through 16. We are doing a one day side trip there, it would probably be around May 8,9, or 10. Would love to drink a few bottles of champagne with you guys if our paths cross.