We are considering staying the last night of our 9 day Paris trip in September in a chateau in thhe Loire Valley, possibly Amboise. We have a noon flight out of Orly. How long a drive is it from Amboise to Orly? Also, Can I rent a car in the 6th district and return it at Orly?

The morning drive is feasible, although you might get stuck in the morning commuting traffic towards downtown Paris (unless you are doing this in August, when the traffic is much lighter). The normal driving time between Amboise and Orly should be between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. You might check on www.iti.fr. As for returning the car, it's like any city in the world : the airport is considered part of the city.

If you want to be a little closer to Orly and still stay in a 15th century chateau, consider Chateau d'Esclimont just outside of Chartres - we made it from there to Orly in about an hour. You'll find this place on the Relais & Chateaux webpage. <BR>

Thanks Dan. The Chateau d'Esclimont was our first choice but it is completely booked for the nights we are interested in.

as for car rentals, i got a great rate in france through auto europe. also, with no drop fee for dropping off in belgium. we're renting in the 6th, so you probably won't have a drop fee either.