quicksilver - Tours to Chinon trains do not go thru St-Pierre-des-Corps so where are you coming from - if from Blois or Amboise then you'd take a train to St-Pierre-des-Corps and take the navette to Tours in town station then the direct train to Tours.

All of the regional trains starting or ending in the Centre region of France do so at Tours, not St Pierre des Corps.

The Tours to/from Chinon train schedule is here:

http://telechargement.ter-sncf.com/I...m-17-62325.pdf

When asking about train schedules, your exact travel dates are extremely important to include in your post. Please note that through August 28th, trains service is dramatically curtailed between Tours and Chinon.

I know the train I was looking at does involve a St-Pierre-des-Corps transfer. But thank you so much for going the extra mile for me, both of you! And thanks also for the August 28th tip--I'll be safely back by then. :)

Done and done. Found Chinon accommodation! My Friday night will be in Chinon, Saturday night Tours for easy access to Ancenis in the morning. NOW I can relax and start to get excited!

Restaurants and sights, anyone? On my radar so far (not in any way organized up to my normal standards, but I'm planning fast!):

Chinon:

- Maybe a boat tour on the Vienne
- Rent a bicycle. I have Lonely Planet: Cycling France and I'm thinking of doing part of the "Day 2" itinerary, which is a 1-way from Chinon to Azay-Le-Rideau. Might train to Azay-Le-Rideau and go backwards (though I'd have to check on the uphill/downhill ratio) to be a little closer to Villandry.
- Or I might go to Villandry in the evening somehow--I just discovered it's the Nuits des Milles Feux. Gardens by candlelight!
- Restaurants: La Maison Rouge (what can I say, I'm a sucker for half-timbered buildings of any kind); Les Annees Trente.

And I haven't even started on Tours yet. Particularly interested in restaurants.

Thank you!

All of the regional trains starting or ending in the Centre region of France yes do terminate at Tours, not St Pierre des Corps - yes like the InterLoire AquaLys trains between Orleans-Les Aubrais-Blois-Amboise-st-Pierre-des-Corps-Tours. But relatively few TGVs from Paris go into the deadend Tours in town station (there are navettes timed with each TGV at St Pierre-d-C to shuttle folks into Tours station. So if coming from Paris either try to catch the several TGVs a day that do limp into the Tours station after stopping at St-Pierre-des-Corps or prepare to transfer to navettes. But if going to Amboise or Blois get off at St Pierre-d-C and do not go into Tours itself.

And if coming from Blois or Amboise and wishing to go to Chinon there is a bus about 9:30am most days from St-Pierre-des-Crops direct to Chinon - no going into Tours - faster and cheaper than the train route that requires going into Tours and changing to a train to Chinon. Chinon trains are regional trains that do not require reservations. Most trains Blois and Amboise to St Pierre Corps also do not require reservation but some do require reservations before boarding - these are trains that continue on from St Pierre-des-Corps south.

<i>And thanks also for the August 28th tip--I'll be safely back by then</i>

I do not remember when you said when you were traveling but please ready my post closely. The train cancellations are through August 28th. The above schedule is for the period July 3rd to August 28th. If you are traveling before next weekend you may want to check the earlier schedule to see how you might be affected with work on the rail lines.

I'll make Tours as easy as possible for you. I can recommend 3 hotels, all of which are within easy walking distance from Tours Centre:

1. Hotel du Manoir**

http://hotel.manoir.tours.voila.net/
The closest hotel. Very charming, very quiet, and very popular. Ownership will change in August but the new owner is a long time resident of Tours and we can only hope she does not charge the very reasonable price structure.

2. Hotel Ronsard **

www.hotel-ronsard.com/
Right behind the Theatre and well within the desired area for tourists between Tours Centre and Place Plumereau. This was a run down, dilapidated hotel until the new owners completely restored it about 10 years ago. It's a great value and very comfortable

3. Central Hotel - Best Western ***

www.bestwesterncentralhoteltours.com/
Just around the corner from hotel Ronsard. It's a new, 3 star hotel right in the middle of Tours. A pleasant surprise on a very quite street.

_____


As for restaurants, here are two not to miss:

La Devaliere

Le Theleme

These tips are extremely helpful, thank you! Please don't worry too much about my trains--I just wanted to know whether that shuttle-transfer was too difficult for a first-timer. I'm searching the TER website for the exact dates I'm travelling, so AFAIK that takes into account any planned service interruptions.

So I've suddenly become obsessed with the Nuits des Milles Feux (for posterity's sake: Chateau Villandry gardens by candlelight). I probably should have just stayed in Villandry afterward if I wanted to do this, but it's too late for that now, so here's my next question: is it insane to take a cab all the way back to Tours from Villandry? Is it even possible? Is there another way to get home at that late hour? (Looks like last train from Savonnieres is long gone, and I've searched the Fil Vert bus line site, too, to no avail.) If I did, indeed, engage in this folly, any idea what it would cost?

Again, many thanks,

- Quicksilver -

Having been in Villandry several times there is no real town there per se though there may be some hotels and B&Bs, etc. It is not far from Tours however on the road along the Loire so taxis should be available if scheduled early enough so you don't have a long wait after calling one. Chinon is very close to Villandry too.

I owe all of you a long trip report, but I'm still in that "grieving" stage where it's hard to think about the trip that is no more!

But for now, MANY thanks to everyone who jumped in so quickly with advice. I wanted the Friday in Paris, as it turned out, so I arrived in Chinon on Friday evening, departed mid-afternoon Saturday for Tours and stayed overnight, and then caught the 7:11 a.m. train to Ancenis on the Sunday. Everything went off without a hitch and I was CAPTIVATED by Chinon; Tours seems wonderful, too, but I did not have adequate time there to do it justice. I'll post more when I'm ready to admit it's all over! Again, many, many thanks to the ever-faithful Fodorites.

- Quicksilver -