<<But for someone starting from Honolulu, it takes more than 21 hours to Paris.>>

Good grief, what an example. I am sure "transatlantic" flights are even longer for those coming from New Zealand.

Having had to go to Europe four times in the past two years (Heathrow/Prestatyn, Madrid/Merida, Brussels/city center during peak hour, Berlin/Gdynia) it has never taken longer than one to one and half hour to start driving.

Mark

<i> We will be returning the rental car after a couple days in the Loire and taking the train back to Paris. Will it be easier to do this from Amboise or from Tours?</i>

If you use the services of a broker such as www.autoeurope.com, you will be able to know before you rent if the car can be picked up and/or returned in Amboise.

We're returning a car in Amboise and taking the train to Paris in Sept. According to the info I have, the car rental offices are not at the train station - they are a taxi ride or long walk away. I have no problem with reserving a taxi, but the OP might just take the TGV as far as St Pierre des Corps (Tours) and pick the car up there. We returned a car there & the office was next to the station.

Stu Dudley

The Amboise train station is across the Loire, on the north side but about a mile or a tad less from the town center. Nothing much at that station - like Stu says no car rentals.

cathy52, you say you're returning the car "after a couple of days." Just thought I'd point out that you'll probably pay the equivalent of a 3-day rental for a 1- or 2-day car rental.