Paris/Loire Valley than ?

Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 04:17 PM
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Paris/Loire Valley than ?

My husband and I plan on going to France over the July 4th week this summer. We will begin July 1 in Paris for three nights and take the train to Amboise where we will stay and rent a car for three more nights. I think we can see some beautiful chateaux's from this location ( not planned yet). I think this will be enough Chateaux's and I was wondering where you would suggest we go for another three to four nights? What is reasonable to drive to or get a train to from this location? Would you do Bordeaux or another location? We also would probably go back to Paris to fly out. Any help would be much appreciated. ( We could leave from Nice if we were to go south as an option but not sure there is enough time.)
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 04:50 PM
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I suggest, rather than staying in Amboise or another large town, that you consider picking up the car then staying in a village or countryside location. Most of the places you'll likely want to visit are scattered around the countryside so driving to them and parking where you stay will be easier outside the big towns.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 04:51 PM
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Have you been to Paris before? If not you could spend the rest of the time there. If you have been to Paris, or want another location you could easily fill that time in the Dordogne. It is a lovely location with beautiful villages.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2017, 08:20 PM
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You really have very little time available. Your 3 nights are really only 2 1/2 days - which isn't time to do much of anything. I would just visit Paris & the Loire - and that's all. It's still not much time "being there".

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 02:52 AM
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That's a really short vacation. You don't have time for the Dordogne, IMO, and certainly not Provence. Just visit Paris and the Loire.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 03:46 AM
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We did a similar trip and went to Normandy (near Bayeaux) between Paris and Loire Valley. We stayed in Amboise and loved it there. We had 2 weeks, though, and spent the last 2 nights in Chantilly. In hindsight, wished we had returned to Paris for the final 2 nights.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 05:16 AM
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Thank you all for your replys!
I have been to Paris several times and can always spend more time there; however, we have never been to the Loire Valley, Dordogne or Chantilly so thank you for those recommendations. I do not want to spend my whole time driving from place to place so I am hoping that I can keep things within a 3 hour distance if possible or take trains to another location. I have heard it is best to take a train to Amboise rather than drive since it is faster and I am assuming I can rent a car in Amboise once I get there. We like to stay in luxury places and Amboise seems to have a beautiful hotel called the Le Choiseul. ( they also include parking which is always good.)Has anybody stayed there? Any other suggestions are welcomed.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 05:29 AM
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Yes, I've stayed at Le Choiseul. It was nice but not what I expected for the price. It's been awhile, though. Maybe it's been upgraded, or maybe my non-luxurious tastes found it too pretentious and off the mark from the more humble accommodations I am used to.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 06:57 AM
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Why would you visit the Chateaux in the Loire - and then Chantilly??? You even stated that 3 nights in the Loire Valley is "enough Chateaux". We've stayed in Chantilly before a flight home - and the Chateau is about all there is to do & see there (except for horse stables). We did stay at a luxury hotel there, however.

We returned a car in Blois a few years back - and the car rental offices were nowhere near the train station. Make sure that the rental office is close to the train station in Amboise. Take the train to St Pierre des Corps (Tours) if the Amboise train station is not convenient.

Use www.viamichelin.com to determine drive times. In 9 nights, I don't think you really want to add a third destination that involves a 5 hr of drive (Dorodgne) then a 4-6 hr "event" to train back to Paris before your flight home. And 2 days in the Dordogne is not even enough time to do much of anything, since visiting the caves take some "sit & wait" time and then an hour or so tour. Just wandering through Sarlat is a half-day event.

The most reasonable 3rd destination if you drive is Normandy. It will take you 3 hrs to drive from the Loire to Bayeux. Then another 3 hrs to CDG if you want to stay in a airport hotel before the flight home. That eats up a chunk of the day - so you'll really only have 2 1/2 days in each of 3 locations. Enough to just "sniff the air" but it would be a fast-paced trip.

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 07:56 AM
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I visited Loire Valley this past October as a day trip from Paris and saw 3 Chateaus. My favorite was Chateau de Chenonceau. http://www.chenonceau.com/
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 11:38 AM
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http://www.chateaupray.com/

The Chateau de Pray is a short distance out of Amboise - stay in a Loire castle!

As for trains vs driving from Paris - I do not think Amboise has that many car rentals

You may want to take the train from Paris Montparnasse to St-Pierre-des-Corps -the effective mainline train station in Tours -and pick up cars there and then drive to Amboise or other locale. This is a TGV line - takes just an hour or so by train - there are regional trains to Amboise from S-P-d-Corps.

Another rail route goes from Paris-Austerlitz Station with TER -regional trains that do not require seat reservations and even full fare is not sky high -TGVs however have a more complex fare structure -booking way way early -up to 90 days in advance I think- can get deep discounts that could be even cheaper than the hour-slower route from Austerlitz station.

For lots on French trains check www.voyages-sncf.com; www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

As for the next few days after the Loire you could from St-P-d-Corps take a train to Lyon and then Avignon - great place for car-lots of neat sights in a small radius of town -then blast back to Paris from Avignon-TGV station in about 3 hours.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 12:32 PM
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Oh Palen Q that is perfect exactly what I was wondering how to do! Thank you for telling me about the train situation too ( and Stu!) So this is how I will do it just to confirm:
fly into Paris and spend 3 nights
Take the train TGV preferably to Tours St-Pierre-des-Corps - pick up the car rental and drive to Amboise ( I think that is pretty close if I'm not mistaken)
Spend 3 notes at Le Choiseul or someplace else and tour the castles etc
Go back to Tours give back the car and train to Lyon for a couple of nights and zoom back to Paris on the TGV ( I have been to Avignon so not sure I would add that but maybe! It was very cool years ago with the wall and the antique market if I'm not confusing places LOL)
Or would you skip Lyon and just bypass on to Avignon? We are foodies so I hear Lyon is great for that....not sure how fun in July!
I will check train times from Tours to Lyon and places to stay. Any suggestions? Again we do like upscale and luxurious.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 12:47 PM
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Checking rail schedules StPierre-d-corps to Lyon shows direct trains take 5 hours!

It is 2 hrs quicker via Paris, changing stations.

So not as quick or direct as I thought.

I'd keep the car and drive to Lyon - easier and maybe quicker than trains via Paris.

St-p-Corps is on the high-speed line to Bordeaux however or Lilbourne where you can probably pick up a car and head to Dordogne for a few nights.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 01:30 PM
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>>Checking rail schedules StPierre-d-corps to Lyon shows direct trains take 5 hours!

It is 2 hrs quicker via Paris, changing stations.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 01:47 PM
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Thank you both....I checked too and came up with 4 hours plus which seemed a bit much for a short time. How about the Bordeaux area? I'm not feeling the pull to Normandy but just might end up doing that. Maybe I should get your suggested itinerary Stu to entice me!

Any idea how far this is?:
"St-p-Corps is on the high-speed line to Bordeaux however or Lilbourne where you can probably pick up a car and head to Dordogne for a few nights."
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 01:49 PM
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Normandy (staying in Bayeux) would be great choice. Four years ago we stayed at Hotel Chateau de Bellefontaine (I believe it was recommended by StCirq), which we really enjoyed. About a 15-20 minute walk into town and a beautiful property. I would check out current reviews since it has been a few years (say hi to the pretty wood ducks). We did a 1/2 day D-Day tour, and the Bayeux tapestry is very cool...as is the cathedral. Maybe do a couple of days there and one in lovely Honfleur.

Chapter Twelve through Fifteen of my trip report contain photos and descriptions of the area.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/france-2012/

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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 01:52 PM
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I once rode a bike from Normandy to Amboise in one long day (plus a hurricane tailwind) so it is easy enough to drive Amboise to Normandy -see Mont Saint Michel (technically in Brittany) and to Bayeux - return the car in Caen and take train to Paris.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 01:53 PM
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Bordeaux and Libourne are not so bad.....2 hour plus trains, but than getting back to Paris is 4 hours! Oh my so complicated!
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 03:07 PM
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Paris/Loire Valley than ?
Posted by: centeno on Jan 23, 17 at 8:17pm


I suggest ambling east through Burgundy to Beaune. Great food and wine. For an illustrated introduction to driving in France see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap18/auto-1.htm. Drop the car in Dijon and take the TGV to Paris.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 03:33 PM
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We celebrated my wife's 50th in Paris and the Loire valley. The Le Marais in Paris has beautiful apartments we rented for 7-10 days, and spent a day trip to Loire Valley. Saw three chateaus had a great lunch, and drank Vouvray by the litre. Paris is so beautiful with so much to do that you could spend a month there. Someday we will return to visit Normandy and Provence, but we have no regrets about Paris. Visit Parismarais.com for options.
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