Gites near Tours/Amboise
 

My siblings and I want to take our mom to the Loire Valley mid-September, she's been wanting to go for ages and we thought this would be a good vacation with just the four of us. We'll be in Munich and plan on driving down from there to the Loire for 4-5 days, then fly back home from CDG.

We're looking for a self catering gite to sleep four in a small village somewhere between Amboise and Tours, we'd like a scenic location, maybe something on/near the water. The main chateaux we'd like to see are Chambord, Chenonceau, Villandry and Azay le Rideau and I also absolutely want to visit Fontevraud, though it's much further west, thought we could maybe club it with some wine tasting in Saumur. The sound and light show at Amboise too perhaps?

I know you can find any number of gites online but I would like a personal recommendation if possible. I found a couple of places near Chinon, but wonder if that a little too far south and west for us. I'm looking forward to your suggestions.

One more question, we want to stop overnight somewhere between Munich and the Loire, where would you suggest? Was thinking of someplace near Reims, or could we come a little further south?

This is a just the very preliminary look at our trip, I know that as usual with your help and input I'll be able to put it all together. I welcome your comments and suggestions, thanks in advance:)

Why not stay in Parva Domus in Epernay, on the finest street in Europe

If this involves a rental car, picking it up in Germany and dropping it off in France will cost you an arm and a leg.

Definitely take the train from Munich to St. Pierre des Corps, but avoid connections via Paris where you have to get through the city from one train station to another. Unless you want to make it an afternoon and night in Paris - always a great thing if you love Paris.

The one train I see that fits that description: A train leaves Munich-Pasing at 12:37 that requires switching trains in Stuttgart (14:46/14:55) and in Strasbourg (16:13/16:31) and gets to St. Pierre-de-Corps at 19:59. Those switches are easy - you walk from one track to another, that's it.

In Strasbourg you have twenty minutes, enough for one of you to go get refreshments that you can then consume on the train.

The last leg is a TGV (fast train) that requires seat reservations.

<< I found a couple of places near Chinon, but wonder if that a little too far south and west for us.>>

Given your preferences, probably.

Wouldn't stay in Tours either. Not exactly quaint or pretty and the traffic is a mess.

We've rented 67 gites throughout France - and most of them (all but maybe 1) were not in small villages where you could walk to a restaurant.

What does "sleep four" mean??? Four bedrooms, or 2 bedrooms with 2 in each room.

Here is where we stayed for 2 weeks a few years ago. It is between Blois & Ambiose. It's also one of the rare gites we've rented where the proprietor can speak English. There are some nice restaurants within a 5 min dive.

https://www.gites-de-france.com/loca...eu-41G824.html

Stu Dudley

<"We've rented 67 gîtes throughout France">
Is that a record? Where is the Guinness Book when you need it?

Many thanks for all your suggestions.

StCirq, I know what you mean but my brother is a doing an European Delivery on his car, we pick it up near Munich and will turn it in at Paris, so we're good. No need to take the train either.

Re. accommodation sorry for not being specific, we need two bedrooms to sleep four. We most certainly don't want to be in the city, though I know most gites are rural, but we'd like to be close enough to a few good restaurants.

Parva Domus is a great suggestion bilboburgler, ideally situated situated for a coupe or two to celebrate!

Thanks again:)

I might have an option for you: Le Cambalu 37G20481 from the Gites de France website. My family stayed there for a week last July.

It has two bedrooms, sleeps 4. The owners are a charming couple who speak English, and the cottage was very comfortable.

You can drive to restaurants -- like St Cirq mentioned, you might have trouble finding a place you can walk to dinner from....

Le Cambalu is near Francueil, right across the river from Chennonceaux.

Take a look; it sounds right for you. (Except for the walking to restos.)