Are these the correct train station names:
Tours - St. Pierre-des-Corps; Amboise - St. Pierre; Angers - St. Laud? Also, if I am reading the train schedule correctly, it looks like we can get the TGV to Angers in the CDG airport. How much time between airport arrival and train departure do you think we need? Any other pointers/suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

Tours has two stations, Tours (Gare), and St. Pierre-des-Corps.

Amboise station is just called Amboise.

As to the time between flight arrival and a possible train departure - who knows, especially in CDG - all bets are off.

Yes, you can take a TGV in CDG for Angers St. Laud - four a day, at 10:28 (arr. 12:51), 13:38 (arr. 15:51), 18:24 (arr. 21:05), , 20:34 (arr. 23:01).

Or go into Paris and take a train at Montparnasse, or go to Austerlitz where a few depart for St. Pierre-des-Corps where you can switch trains for Angers St. Laud.

It's all at www.voyages-sncf.fr

Thanks for answering. One more question -- is there a site that has a map locating the train stations in Paris? I would like to return from the Loire Valley to a train station close to our hotel, which we have not chosen yet. Thanks

Susan - You don't really get to choose your train station. All trains to/from the Loire area will be using Montparnasse. It's a large station on the left bank and has several Metro lines.

Most Loire trains will arrive at Montparnasse station in Paris - look at a metro map and see where the Montparnasse metro stop is. Ditto for Austerlitz, the only other mainline station with trains from the Loire - these trains take much longer than TGVs however - there are frequent trains from both Austerlitz and Montparnasse to Tours - only direct trains to Amboise go from Austerlitz. Many trains from Austerlitz don't require reservations whilst TGVs, which serve Montparnasse only, require reservations before boarding.
Saint-Pierre-des-Corps is the mainline station in Tours and is 2 miles south of the dead-end Tours terminus in town. Shuttle trains constantly shuttle between the two. Many TGVs only stop at St-Pierre-des-Corps.
As said above CDG airport has some TGVs direct to St Pierre-d-C and Angers.

To clarify - you do have a choice from among these Paris stations to these Loire castle locations:

Austerlitz to Blois (not TGV, CoRail, some go direct, some require a quick switch in Orléans, about 1:36 hr or more, €22.70).

Montparnasse to Blois (TGV to St. Pierre des Corps, see below) requires a change at St. Pierre des Corps, CoRail or TER from St. P.des C. to Blois €8.50, about 25-31 min.).

Austerlitz to St. Pierre des Corps (not TGV, CoRail, about 2:02 hrs or more, €27.70, no reservation).

Montparnasse to St. Pierre des Corps (TGV, about 1 hr, €37.70 or €50.30 depending on peak time or not, reservation mandatory).

The TGV to Nantes (which also serves Angers) should be added to this list now that the chateau in Nantes has been restored and is open to the public.
Susan, if you opt to do a visit to Nantes from Angers, it's easier to buy your ticket at the little SNCF boutique in the center of Angers instead of going over to the train station. It's a nice little "boutique" just off the main square in Angers. Helpful service plus you can wait in comfortable chairs and people watch instead of standing in line.

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