Loire Valley France - where to stay? Tours, Amboise? Orleans?
Dec 29th, 2007, 05:56 AM
#1
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Loire Valley France - where to stay? Tours, Amboise? Orleans?
Hello,
What is the best place to stauon ourselves in the Loire region? We want to visit Chombard, Cheneceu, Villandry and whatever else we can fit in. We would like to be somewhere where we can walk around in the evening, cafes, people watching.
All suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Sergey
What is the best place to stauon ourselves in the Loire region? We want to visit Chombard, Cheneceu, Villandry and whatever else we can fit in. We would like to be somewhere where we can walk around in the evening, cafes, people watching.
All suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Sergey
Dec 29th, 2007, 08:41 AM
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I would also recommend Amboise. It's a charming town and its proximity to the chateaux you would like to visit will make it a perfect homebase! While there, try to visit the Chateau du Clos Luce, Leonardo da Vinci's home in Amboise!
Good luck with your planning!
2010
Good luck with your planning!
2010
Dec 29th, 2007, 09:50 AM
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Agree with Amboise. It's a small town that is charming and very manageable, as well as having several things to see right there - the fortress and the Clos Luce.
Tours is too large and modern - almost a city - getting in and out can be a pain.
Just make sure your hotel has parking available for your car.
Tours is too large and modern - almost a city - getting in and out can be a pain.
Just make sure your hotel has parking available for your car.
Dec 29th, 2007, 09:58 AM
#5
Hi sshprints,
the first year we visited the area, we stayed in Saumur, the 2nd we were based in amboise.
of the 2, we preferred Saumur, but it rather depends which chateaux you most want to see - west or east. Saumur seemed to be more of a living town with nice cafes, restuarants and shops, amboise was more tourist based. but both are fine.
if you go for the west, the chateau at Angers has a magnificcent tapestry in the basement, and is an interesting city. to the south of saumur is the abbey of Fontavraud where the English kings of acquitaine are buried - it is very beautiful, with a fasciniating herbal garden.
regards, ann
the first year we visited the area, we stayed in Saumur, the 2nd we were based in amboise.
of the 2, we preferred Saumur, but it rather depends which chateaux you most want to see - west or east. Saumur seemed to be more of a living town with nice cafes, restuarants and shops, amboise was more tourist based. but both are fine.
if you go for the west, the chateau at Angers has a magnificcent tapestry in the basement, and is an interesting city. to the south of saumur is the abbey of Fontavraud where the English kings of acquitaine are buried - it is very beautiful, with a fasciniating herbal garden.
regards, ann
Dec 29th, 2007, 11:52 AM
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SShprints,
We split our 7 night stay in the Loire between Amboise for the east and Saumur for the west, 4 nights in Amboise, the final 3 in Saumur, following the suggestions of Fodorites. We found Amboise to be more charmingly "picture postcard perfect" but also more tourist filled, while to our eyes Saumur seemed more real life, with all that "real" implies.
We would not have wanted to base in Tours, as we love smaller towns, and with a car Amboise was much easier to negotiate. For the particular sites that you have mentioned, Amboise would be a perfect base, as 2010 says.
We split our 7 night stay in the Loire between Amboise for the east and Saumur for the west, 4 nights in Amboise, the final 3 in Saumur, following the suggestions of Fodorites. We found Amboise to be more charmingly "picture postcard perfect" but also more tourist filled, while to our eyes Saumur seemed more real life, with all that "real" implies.
We would not have wanted to base in Tours, as we love smaller towns, and with a car Amboise was much easier to negotiate. For the particular sites that you have mentioned, Amboise would be a perfect base, as 2010 says.
Feb 1st, 2008, 05:03 PM
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I am staying hopefully in the heart of Amboise. I have very little information on the "must see"s of this region. My sister moved to Paris four years ago so I have visited her and Brittany among other places in Europe and would love to hear if Amboise is the best place for teenagers and two parents to set up camp and then what to try to see.
Thanks,
Anne
Thanks,
Anne
Feb 1st, 2008, 06:33 PM
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Another vote for staying in Amboise, not that I have other options to compare it to. Amboise
is central, it's charming in its own right (and has its own chateau and Close Luce), it's very walkable, and it's great for strolling around in the evening.
This is assuming you'll have a car to get to the chateaux, though there are organized tours from Amboise I'm sure. Orleans is too far east to be convenient to most of the chateaux except for Chambord, and Orleans was decidedly un-charming in my opinion.
I liked my day in Tours very much, and it is convenient to many chateaux. Still, it's a city (though with a charming historic center) and Amboise is smaller in scale and better preserved.
is central, it's charming in its own right (and has its own chateau and Close Luce), it's very walkable, and it's great for strolling around in the evening.
This is assuming you'll have a car to get to the chateaux, though there are organized tours from Amboise I'm sure. Orleans is too far east to be convenient to most of the chateaux except for Chambord, and Orleans was decidedly un-charming in my opinion.
I liked my day in Tours very much, and it is convenient to many chateaux. Still, it's a city (though with a charming historic center) and Amboise is smaller in scale and better preserved.
Feb 1st, 2008, 06:34 PM
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PS
I have a file on my trip to the Loire Valley; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]
I have a file on my trip to the Loire Valley; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]
Feb 6th, 2008, 01:06 PM
#12
Loved the Loire Valley--loved staying at www.Chateau-de-perreux.com
Great location with many great restaurants(casual and gourmet) in the area.
We visited Chambord, Chenenceau, Villandry, and the DaVinci House and wished we had time for more--oh well, reason to go back.
Took the train from Paris and rented a car. Very easy to drive around there.
Chateau Perreux was probably a 10 min. drive from Amboise.
Great location with many great restaurants(casual and gourmet) in the area.
We visited Chambord, Chenenceau, Villandry, and the DaVinci House and wished we had time for more--oh well, reason to go back.
Took the train from Paris and rented a car. Very easy to drive around there.
Chateau Perreux was probably a 10 min. drive from Amboise.
