nouryan

Hello Fodorites,
This is my first request for help here on the Forums, and judging from what I have read so far I think I can get some good advice. I am leaving for France in a few days and our itinerary is still not set in stone. Our time is limited so I want to make the best of it.

We will arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport early next Monday morning. We will pick up our car there and drive straight to the Loire Valley, where we will be staying 3 nights. Based on recommendations I saw in the forum, we chose a hotel in Amboise.

We want to see impressive chateaux and natural scenery but we'd also like to have some time each day just to relax, enjoy the hotel pool and meander around the town.

We are planning on visiting Chambord on our way to Amboise and having lunch there. Is there a convenient place to get picnic supplies or should we just eat at the cafe there? Is it worthwhile to make a detour to Cheverny? Should we should bother stopping in to see the Chateau in Bloise? Or should we head straight to Amboise and check out the town before we crash for the night?

We want to see Chenonceau, Villandry, Ussé, Azay le Rideau and the cave dwellings near Saumur. Is this too much for two days? And are there any sights or activities that you'd highly recommend for young children (or recommend that we avoid?).

Finally, we'd like to attend one son et lumière show. Any opinions about which one is the most interesting or spectacular?

A Bostonian in Cairo

Saraho

Your children will like Cheverny because of the hound dogs- try to go at feeding time.

I'd probably skip Villandry and maybe Chambord as far as the children are concerned. They will love Chenonceau and Usse ( I think that is the one Sleeping Beauty was based on). Yes, I do think you have too much planned for two days. Two chateaus a day are plenty- one in the morning and one in the afternoon. They will also like to wander in Amboise. See the castle there and Leonardo da Vinci's house with the mechanical inventions.

Dukey

they'll really enjoy a balloon ride
www.franceballoons.com

Cathinjoetown

For picnic supplies, stop at any grocery, large or small. Leclerc, Carrefour and other large hypermarkets are usually sign-posted on the road.

Don't leave it too late as many stores close from 12:00 or 12:30 to 14:00. In August, some stay open all day due to the tourist influx but you can't count on it.

cafegoddess

I second Cheverny. The dogs are so cute. Like Saraho said, get there around feeding time. Watching the dogs get ready to eat is a lot of fun.

nouryan

Thanks for the advice! I'd love the balloon ride...if it didn't cost so much. And I'll keep my eyes peeled for the supermarché signs. Incidentally, would those kind of markets also have gas stations? And is there any hope of my non-chip credit card working there?

I was thinking the feeding of the dogs would be neat to see, for dog lovers. My nephews (8 & 10) would probably get a kick out of it. My own kids might be a bit overwhelmed if it gets very noisy...or maybe I'm just projecting my own foibles. I guess I'll have to put it to a vote.

I keep reading that Chambord is a "must", though frankly it was not really on my radar until I started researching for this trip. Maybe we'll put that one to a vote too.

If you had to choose between Ussé and Azay le Rideau, which one would you skip?

Dukey

Be aware that Chambord is quite IMPRESSIVE from the outside and you can actually go up on part of the roof and look out.

it is sparsely furnished INSIDE and there is that double staircase designed by Leonardo I believe.

Chenonceau, on the other hand, might impress as much more dramatic as it stretches across the river and it will be somewhat closer to Amboise for you.

As to the balloon rides...they used to leave in the early morning from the Chenonceau parking lot.

Yes, they are not cheap..yes they are UNFORGETTABLE

gabriele

I strongly disagree with the advice to skip Chambord (nothing else like it architecturally and has wonderful rooftops that would be fun for the kids to explore - also there are shows here) and Villandry (a more casual and contemporary house with interesting and unusual gardens). Frankly, I would expect these will be two of the most interesting for children since they are not stuffy and you will self tour rather than be stuck on a guided tour such as at Usse. The guided tour through Usse was rather long and boring but it is worth driving by for the photo. Azay is scenic but otherwise I don't know that children would be overly interested. Not sure why kids would love Cheverny other than the dogs - this is a very formal furnished house. Blois is very interesting and being in a larger town may be a nice break. Otherwise, Loire towns are tiny with not much going on. Amboise is probably the best of these. Also, no one has mentioned a son et lumiere show, which I would definitely do with children.

bigtyke

Near Villandry there is a 'wet' cave. We enjoyed the tour. The most interesting thing about the cave is that the deposition of minerals is rapid enough that the owners put objects into the cave and before long, they have an interesting limestone coating.

I second the idea of Cheverny at feeding time.

Cathinjoetown

During the day (opening hours of the stores) the gas stations at the supermarches are usually attended and, in our experience, will accept Mastercard or Visa and sometimes AmEx without your having to have a chip and pin card.

If the attendant won't take it, which is unlikely as you will already have filled the tank, just stick your ground.

Always keep a stash of 100 euros or so cash for peace of mind and emergencies.

Sarastro

You do not tell us the age of your children but frankly, the Loire Valley is not a compelling visit for most children, particularly young children. With no understanding of the pertinent history, no appreciation for the architectural accomplishments, or no background on the cultural forces at work during the construction of these châteaux it will be a challenge to keep your children's interest piqued during a three night stay.

A furnished château can fill the imagination and add interest in the periods of the past better than any empty one but the only fully furnished château of which I am aware is Cheverny. The double helix staircase at Chambord (indeed the design of da Vinci, compare this with the staircase at Chenonceau) can be interesting for children. One child descends while the second climbs the alternate staircase. They complete the climb/descent, the two never meeting nor even seeing one another.

A balloon ride could be the highpoint of their visit and is an excellent suggestion. Another unusual yet fascinating visit would be to the Cave de la Grande Brosse. The virtually endless cave was dug for its limestone, used in the construction of Chambord and a large number of the regions châteaux. The cave is now owned by a vignoble to store his wine, Philippe Oudin. Tours must be arranged in advance but for kids it would be a memorable visit:

http://cavegrandebrosse.com/cave.htm

If I were to comprise a primary list of châteaux for such a visit, it would be: Cheverny, Chambord, Chenonceau, and Azay-le-Rideau. Locations of importance but not on the first list would include: Château Blois, Villandry (the garden only), Valençay, and maybe le Clos Lucé yet there is absolutely nothing of da Vinci's there other than a few miniature reproductions of several of his inventions in the basement. Seeing the tunnel from here to Château Amboise, used by da Vinci for his visits with François I, is of particular interest.

The interior of Ussé is a big disappointment, a bit run-down and not worth the entry fee. Do a quick drive-by if you like but otherwise your time is better spent elsewhere. The interior of Villandry is also basically a large void. If your children like garden design, then the Gardens of Villandry are magical.

To make your trip as successful as possible, you may want to try to introduce to your children broad concepts of the Renaissance, court life, and simple architectural elements that they can look for during their visit. The objective would be to keep you time here as relevant and as interesting as possible.

nouryan

Oooh...a tunnel. The older ones (8, 8 & 10) will LOVE that!! And I know they will appreciate the architecture as well. The nephews are half French and enjoy learning about their father's culture. My daughter is going to start studying French this year in school, so she too wants to learn more about French history & culture.

I think the 3 year will just be happy to be out and about. If we happen upon a playground all the better.

It sounds like we'll skip Ussé then, and definitely find time to visit both Chambord & Cheverny. Still not sure about Blois. I'm sure we can't afford the 1500 Euros for the balloon ride this time. We're going to Egypt the following week, so we might do that in Luxor where it will be more affordable for us.

My mother & I really are looking forward to seeing the gardens at Villandry, so that is a must for us. Would that be a good place to visit on the same day as we visit Azay le Rideau or the caves?

Thanks so much for all of the ideas.

Palenque

Yup that is too much in one day in two days for the kids at least - sometimes a view of a castle from the outside, like perhaps at Usse, can substitute for going in - to tour each site in 2 days would be possible but for the kids not practical.

StCirq

Well, when my kids were 9 and 12, they absolutely loved the Loire valley, especially being in the dining room of the Châteeau d'Amboise where the defenestration took place. They loved the models in the basement of the Clos Licé. They loved roaming around the rooftops of Chambord (and watching a medieval pageant with horses and song and dance on the grounds). They thought Chenonceau was beautiful. The medicine chest in the château at Blois was a hit.They thought it was very cool to stand in the spot at Chinon where Jeanne d'Arc met the dauphin. They thought the tapestries in Angers were pretty interesting. They loved the troglodyte dwellings.

We had most of a week there, and we did find that no one wanted to visit more than 2 château a day, but we just mixed it up with other activities like markets and festivals and walks in the countryside and so forth, and everyone had a great time.

Michel_Paris

Lot of the Chateaux have Sons et Lumieres shows...which are a sound and lioght show after sundown. In french...but could be interesting. Le Lude used to have a show that included riders on horseback, so that might be a bit more exciting.

This time of year there are quite a few festivals going on, I went to the medieval festival in Chinon and it was fun.

BigRuss

The OP and the other posters are missing a spot.

I'd rate Chateau d'Amboise over all of them except Chenonceau and Chambord. Unlike most of the others, the Chateau d'Amboise was primarily defensive, so it's different in form from the others. It also houses the tomb of Da Vinci on its grounds. And the carriageway exit will be a treat for the kids -- just look at the gargoyles.

Usse isn't interesting, it's just notable as the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty. A bit has been lost in translation after 400 years.

Sarastro

<font color="#0000FF">I'd rate Chateau d'Amboise over all of them except Chenonceau and Chambord.</font>

I should completely agree if the bulk of the château had not been dismantled and the stone sold by a previous owner. Much of what is left is a recreation of what was once there. Overall, to someone with limited time, I cannot in good faith recommend Amboise given what is available elsewhere.

StCirq

<< Much of what is left is a recreation of what was once there.>>

That's true of plenty of places. The average visitor isn't going to examine the stones. It's still exhilarating to be in that dining room and look out the windows and imagine the speared Huguenots falling to their death below.

And I misspelled Clos Lucé above.

Palenque

Sound and Light shows - Chambord i believe is the largest such bombastic event with a cast of zillions in old garb - I enjoyed thoroughly the ones at Amboise and Azay-le-Rideau (also one of my favorite castles that i would put right up there with Chenonceau and Chambord) - as for Amboise the castle i always remember those old drawings of dozens of corpses dangling from its front after some rabble rousers were strung out to dry there.

I thought Leonardo was buried in the parish church just outside the Amboise castle - but i was not sure.

and yes the Close Luce, Leonardo's old home when Francois I (I i think - but in any case the dude that literally tried to bring the Renaissance to France when he convinced an over-the-hill Leonardo to come here to live - lots of Leonardo's old inventions and dreamt of inventions that never really flew, etc. will yes appeal to all ages.

right behind the Amboise chateau is a street of troglodyte houses built into the limestone ridge.

Amboise has a huge Piscine Municipale (Public swimming pool) on an island in the Loire right opposite the castle's facade - park the kids there perhaps whilst you stroll around town.

BigRuss

Sarastro, where do you get your information? Chateau d'Amboise has been a monument historique in France for almost 170 years and has been altered by engineering necessity, war and revolution, not sale and reconfiguration like someone's playhouse.

It has had extensive restoration, and every other major chateau in the valley has also had restoration work because (1) most are 500 years old or so; (2) they are constructed of tufa rock, which is soft.

Considering what IS at Chateau d'Amboise (the carriageway, the Chapel of St. Hubert that contains da Vinci's tomb, its historical importance), it is a fine place. I don't see what your personal disgust at the fact that it has been restored has to do with anything about its attractiveness. If you don't want to go to a castle that has been restored to any degree, don't go to the Loire.