Hi again -

We will be making our first trip to France this year and along with Paris would also like to try to fit in a day or two in the Loire Valley.

First, what would be a good town to base ourselves in in the Loire Valley area? And can this area be seen without a car? We'll be traveling by train (and bus as needed).

thanks!

I believe you can base yourselves in either Tours or Amboise. Angers is another choice but it seems as though Tours and Amboise are a bit better located to the chateaux. Tours itself doesn't seem so scenic as Amboise though.

Check the Paris Superthread.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236

I think there's something on "Loire Valley without a car"

Thanks - i'll check out the superthread now.

Blois is an easy home base. We hired a taxi by the day to take us to the chateaux in neighboring towns.

I stayed in Blois and they had buses that went to Chenonceau and Chambord. Also there is a chateau in Blos that was quite interesting. I think we just stopped by the tourist office to get the bus information, they weren't tours, more like a city bus. Have a fun trip!

Does anyone have the name of a tour company that operates out of Amboise or Bloise?

Oh, there is a restaurant just outside of the chateau at Blois that is HEAVENLY. The best lamb we had all vacation. My mouth is watering thinking of it. It truly is "right in the parking lot."

http://www.accodispo-tours.com is essentially a "taxi" service taking you to the sights. They are excellent and reliable and easy to deal with. Since we had 7 in our party, we hired the whole van. My husband was so grateful since he didn't have to worry about driving and we didn't have to rent 2 cars.

Did you check whether there might be some usaeful info on this thread about the best areas of France to visit without a car? http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34424767

Dear Iluvs:

If you wish to make a go of the Loire Valley w/o a car, you can use either Angers, in the western Loire as a base and work your way east to Saumur and perhaps Chinon, or use Blois as a base and see Amboise or Cheverny as day trips..There is a publication: Les Chateaux de la Loire en Train, available thru SNCF, the French national railway.,..Drop me a line if you have any other questions..

Regards
Luis

moldyhotelsaregross, what is the name of the restaurant? Just in case?

Melissa,

I'm sorry but I'm not the great note taker that others are here. Honest - it is right at the entrance to the chateau. My mom walks with a cane so I know that we did not venture far. We lucked into it by having a map that had dining and chateaux both marked. When we saw that they were right next to each other, we opted to try it.

Wow... You won't believe. I found enough documentation on the web to make me believe I've found it! (insert audible gasp here!)

Marignan (Le)
5 pl Château 41000 BLOIS
02 54 74 73 15

http://tinyurl.com/ncnkx and www.pagesjaunes.fr helped me find it.

According to the tourism website, it is traditional cuisine which is definitely what I remember there. On the same street is a creperie and I know that we did not eat there.

Would you bring me back the totally shunned doggy bag?

When I went to the Loire Valley solo a couple of years ago, I made all kinds of contingency plans for trains in case I chickened out of renting the car. The car ended up being great to see the Loire (but I was there for 10 days). In your case, with just a couple of days, I think I would base in Amboise, and use AccoDispo to see the chateaux. Amboise is fun to just walk around in, and I love Chateau d'Amboise. Also, Le Clos Luce (daVinci's last home) is there, and quite interesting. Tours would also be a good base to see the chateaux, as minivans leave right from the tourist office. Tours also has a beautiful cathedral and some nice museums - of course it is a city, not a town like Amboise. I was without a car for my first 2 days, and took the AccoDispo minivan to some chateaux, and liked it.

topping - I don't know if Melissa found her way back to this or not.

Thanks! I almost missed it. bookmarking