Amboise
 

We want to see Leonardo da Vinci's home and replicas of his inventions in Amboise.
What train station in Paris should we use??
Thanks,
Joy

Paris Austerlitz
See http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/

From Paris/Montparnasse take the TGV to Tours/St Pierre des Corps. (Takes 55 minutes!) Then change to a local train to Amboise.

You can book online at voyages-sncf.com

cheapest route is from Austerlitz - flat fare Inter-Loire regional trains vs high-speed TGV trains that can cost a lot lot more unless you nab some limited in number discounted tickets and trains are not all that frequent from S-P-Corps to Amboise so if going that route coordinate the connecting train well.

The route from Austerlitz is IMO the better one - just show up and buy a ticket and travel time is nearly the same if you figure in the changing in St-Pierre-des-Corps and will likely cost a whole lot more - plus you need seat reservations on TGVs but not required on Austerlitz trains - which I have ridden zillions of times and nearly no one reserves - not to say that they cannot be quite full but only in the other way - to Paris on week day mornings and from Paris at evening rush hours as these are basically commuter trains.

The Amboise train station is across the Loire about a mile or so from the Close Luce - Leo's house and gardens - taxis should be waiting if not into walking.

I like the Clos Luce but on this forum many are non-plussed with it - be sure to tour the monumental chateau and visit the parish church where Leonardo left his heart - under a tomb.

Come on market day and a wonderful old-style bric-a-brac and food market unfolds along the Loire.

31.5 euros via Austerlitz but up to 68 euros via St-Pierre-des-Corps - time about the same due to changing and waiting for connecting train. for lots on French trains check out hese three IMO fine sites: www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

There will be many more and much cheaper options if you take the train from Austerlitz. However, all trains now stop in Orléans where you will change to trains for Amboise. The time allowed is usually about 5 minutes but the connecting train is usually just across the platform.

Well there still are some direct no changing of trains Austleritz to Amboise though many more times you do have to change at Orleans but there are 3 or 4 direct trains a day - trains that go on further than St-Pierre-des-Corps like to Brive.

the 3 direct trains I saw up until early evening took only a few minutes longer than the high-speed route via St-Pierre-des-Corps and should also be a lot cheaper. One direct Austelritz to Amboise train leaves most days at 10:38 am from Paris and takes about 90 minutes to Amboise - direct - no change of train.

I just looked at the voyages-sncf website and plugged in Oct. 17th which is when I plan on leaving Paris for Amboise. It seemed that there was a number of departures from Gare d' Austerlitz direct to Amboise. The one I was specifically looking at was a 12:38 (?) departure. Hope I'm not missing something here as I never liked those 5 minute changes although in reality they are doable.

Yes 12:38 departure from Austerlitz goes direct to Amboise, arriving two hours later - that is 7 minutes quicker than a 12:10 TGV from Montparnasse to St-Pierre-des-Corps and changing to Amboise - that takes 2:07 - longer and usually much more expensive and a change of trains required.

10:38 and 12:38 trains from Austerlitz go directly to Amboise.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ambo...=1449&bih=1003

don't miss the row of trogloydyte houses in Amboise - just behind the chateau but off the beaten track - one of them even is a Gite - so you can actually stay in a cave house.