4annmarie

We are planning a trip to France with our 3 children (ages 18-12). Our trip will include Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley and possibly Provence. We would like to spend approximately 2-3 days in the Loire Valley. I would prefer to settle into a cottage (Gite) for the 2-3 days. Which towns would you recommend and which sites would you list as must see. Keep in mind we are traveling with kids and they can only see so many castles before they lose interest. I am trying to prioritize. Thanks.

Scootoir

Le Vieux Manoir in Amboise has 2 cottages which might work for you. We stayed in one of the rooms in the house 2 years ago and liked it very much. We also liked its location in Amboise and the connection to Leonard da Vinci. The recreations of his inventions might be of interest to children. Are your children boys or girls? If you have any girls you might want to stop at the chateau at Usse where there are recreations of the Sleeping Beauty story. I suggest visiting Villandry so the children can be outside in the garden and Chenonceau (don't miss the donkeys nearby). Skip Chambord--too big and crowded.

You might also visit this park with miniatures of some of the Loire chateaux.
http://www.frenchwayoflife.net/int/s...ref=chateaumin
Your children might enjoy seeing the models after some of the real things.

Bon voyage,
Scootoir

4annmarie

Scootoir: Thanks for your feedback. The park with miniatures sounds fun. I think we will try Usse and Amboise looks like a great location.

Sarastro

As far as the châteaux which are must see for someone with 2-3 days:

Chambord (no busier than Chenonceau)
Cheverny (due in large measure to its close proximity to Chambord and the fact that it is one of the few remaining furnished châteaux)
Chenonceau
Azay-le-Rideau
Villandry (mostly for the grounds, the interior is unremarkable)

If you have additional time:

Château Blois
Le Clos Lucé (da Vinci's home in Amboise)
a trogoldyte visit: http://www.troglo-sarcophages.fr/

Ussé merits nothing more than a drive by at best, it's interior is mostly barren. Château Amboise was 80% destroyed during the revolution and what little that remains is overshadowed by other properties which are much more compelling visits.

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For Gite or Chambre d'hote information:

http://www.fleursdesoleil.fr/
http://www.cheznous.com/
http://www.gites-de-france.fr/
http://gitelink.com/

anniemackie

I will second Sarasto's list with the addition that Chambord could be especially interesting for your children. Try not to miss the roof, it's well worth the time. While you are there, have them try to figure out just how the central staircase works.

Read up on the history of Chenonceau before going and have them look for the monograms interspersed throughout. And if you love dogs, one of the sites, maybe Cheverny, had a large group of hunting dogs. They are fun to watch.

--Annie

bigtyke

Try to get to Cheverny just before the dogs are fed. It's fun to watch.

Dukey

Frankly, if there was a chateau with an "unremarkable" interior, IMo it is Chambord and this DESPITE the "Leonardo double staircase."

Villandry is still occupied as I recall and it has a lot more furnishings than both Chambord and Chenonceau put together but this is all a matter of opinion I realize.

You want your kids to not lose interest? Then spend your money on one of the hot air balloon rides over the Loire...www.franceballoons. com it is worth EVERY PENNY

StCirq

The Château d'Amboise always fascinated my kids - gory dinner parties replete with defenestrations, monarchs hitting their head on the lintel at the top of the drawbridge and dying...lots of good history for kids there. And sons et lumières in summer, too. They enjoyed the Clos Lucé there, too.

We happened to get to Chambord one year just as a medieval pageant was taking place, and though it was definitely a tourist attraction par excellence, it was a well-done spectacle. As far as the château itself goes, my kids had more fun running around on the rooftops than anything else.

Scootoir

I often find it interesting on these boards how much our opinions vary on what to see. We visited Usse after a local waitress told us it was her favorite for the Sleeping Beauty story. It could be magical for a little girl. Fortunately France and the Loire offer much for everyone. I also like Amboise for some of the same reasons StCirq mentions--history is so much more interesting on site than in a classroom. The town of Amboise makes a good base for seeing the area.

Villandry's interior gives the feeling that a 20th century family has just gone out to the gardens and will be back any minute. I guess I could relate to that and liked it for that and the amazing garden. Azay-le-Rideau and its park-like gardens are lovely and quiet. I would have liked to see the son et lumiere in the evening but we were there the wrong time of year.

4annmarie, please tell us how the trip turns out and what your children enjoyed most.

Michel_Paris

There are Sons et Lumieres shows at night that are sound and light shows are some of the chateaux. Not sure if they are bilingual. The one at Le Lude had live horses.


http://www1.epinions.com/review/trvl...A-38BF4189-bd3

Also, some of the ramparts in towns are nice, like Chinon. The Abbey at Fontevraud is also interesting.

If you are going in summer, there are lots of festivals. When I was in Chinon, they had a medieval festival.

4annmarie

Love all the feedback. We went to Italy with the kids last summer and after a few medieval cities they were ready to move on. Hence my need to be selective on the chateaux. We were going to do Paris, Normandy (my 15 year old is fascinated with WWII history), Loire and then Provence over a 2 week span. I think I will skip Provence and spend more time in Normandy and Loire. Any thoughts? I am now thinking of spending a week in the loire at a Gite with a pool (assuming I can find one).

bigtyke

Here's a gite that I have come across (on the internet - not in person) that might fit your needs.

www.gite-lacardinale.com

Michel_Paris

I liked the Michelin Green guide when I went. As I drove along their rcommended routes, they had some stops listed that I took advantage of (like visit to cave). I did East to West, and added Chartres on way back to Paris.

Serina

Dear Annmarie,

The prestigious Grand Hotel de Tours located in the middle of the most important castles of Chenonceau, Amboise, Chambord, and the garden of France with parks and gardens of Villandry, the Bourdaisiere, Saint Cosme and the well-known vineyards of Vouvray, Montlouis, Bourrgueil, and Chinon has created a special package for Easter week-end. The prices are really advantageous since it is 57€ per night/ person
The website link:
http://grand-hotel-tours.com/paques-en-touraine/