I, too, rented car from Avis at St.Pierre des Corps. Then drove to Amboise and stayed at the Manoir les Minimes. Loved that place! Amboise is a perfect place to base for a few days.
I then stayed in Chinon for 2 nights, which is also a wonderful town with a great chateau. The accommodations weren't as nice in Chinon, unless you stay at an expensive chateau outside of the town. But hotel was fine.
I also stayed in Saumur at another lovely hotel, the Anne d'Anjou. Between Saumur and Chinon, I actually preferred the town of Chinon.. but I loved the hotel Anne d'Anjou.
I thought driving in the Loire was a breeze - it was my first driving experience in France, and I was nervous.
But the roads are great, and well-marked. You should definitely rent the car to do the area justice, especially since you have 5-6 days.

We stayed at Amboise and rented a car there - located just across the bridge in the heart of the town. I think the only chateau that we had the option of visiting by train was Chenonceau - the others, we had to drive to.

The car rental in Amboise (can't remember the name, think it was Avis or Hertz) - had two cars to choose from, the "big" car and the "small" car. We took the "big" car, although it still seemed pretty small. Both cars we standard transmission.

The car rental people didn't speak English, and my French doesn't extend to technical/mechanical type of things. They brought their friend the taxi driver over to translate. He also mapped out the best driving routes and suggested vineyards to visit for the best wine tasting.

When we returned the car with an empty tank, we tried to explain that we couldn't get our credit cards to work in any of the gas stations. Out of pity, they took the car back empty and didn't charge us for having to fill the gas.

I'm sure I could have got a better selection of cars in Paris or Tours, but I don't think it would have been as fun.

Sorry for the rambling. In short, I recommend the car rental in Amboise.

Since you seem to be leaning toward renting a car and I don't think anyonehas mentioned, it, you should know that youdo want to make your car rental plans from the USA in advance - not just on the spot at the train station.

And I would highly recommend contacting AutoEurope in addition to Avis and Hertz. They often have lower prices and will always match others' prices.

Yes, you will pay more for an automatic. If you need one, I'd suggest you start arranging the car rental soon.

Bonne route!

Something you may want to keep in mind. Even when youreerve an aautomatic car - if there' none available when you get there you'r eout of luck. (We have never had this happen in numerous trips - but others have reported it - but then we always pick up at the largest office possible - either the airport or the main downtown office. If in town we also call before leaving the hotel to tell them we're coming and confirm an automatic - so they have at least an hour or so to hold one for us.)


Your best chance of getting the automatic you reserved is at the largest office possible - your chance at the airport is better than in a small local ofice at a train station. And driving from the airport to the Loire is easy - it's highway all the way - no need to go into Paris.

Just something you may want to consider.

I would whole heartedly recommend the Hotel Diderot in Chinon as a base (Chinon is about as central as you can get!) - I was recommended this hotel by others on this site and it is really very very good indeed.

And try and fit in a visit to Loches - great market on wednesday and a fantastic Chateau - quite unlike all the other Renaissance gems - this is ancient and severe - like a proper castle should be!

Dr D.

I went on the Novarentacar.com website today. It cost the same (in April) to rent the car in Paris as it did to pick it up from Tours for a 4 or 5 day time period. I have no idea what the TGV from Paris to Tours cost, but aside from the hassle of driving from Paris to Tours (or the region) and then back again, what would be the downside of renting in Paris. Also if I'm getting my car at Gare du Nord because I'm getting off the Eurostar, how big of a hassle is it to get on the road? Also, I seem to have an option of returning the car to Gare du Nord or Invalides Railway Station (my hotel in Paris will be nearby). What would be the better place to return the car

I think it would be much easier, if you will be in Paris for a couple of days before leaving for the Loire Valley, to take the train to Chartres, rent a car, drive around the LV, perhaps staying in Amboise at Manoir les Minimes and taking day trips from there or perhaps staying in a couple of places. When you are ready to return, drive back to Chartres, leave the car and take the train to Paris. Unless you want to drive into Paris, navigating the Peripherique probably during rush hour, renting and returning outside the city is vastly easier. We have done both.

My daughter and I rented a car with an automatic transmission from Auto Europe in Chartres and drove to Amboise. It was very easy to do and the Loire Valley was not at all hard to find our way in.

Another time we rented a car from a small agency in Amboise( check Rick Steves for the info and website). It was less expensive but I believe we rented a car with a standard transmission there. The people at the agency did not speak English, but were very pleasant and helpful.

My favorite place to stay in the Loire is is Onzain at the Chateau de Tertes. Onzain is on the opposite side of the river from Chaumont. From the hotel you can see the castle. In addition to all the castles mentioned, there is a cave (can't remembetr the name) near Villandry that is interesting. It is a very 'wet' cave. In fact the owners place objects in the cave to be coated in limestone in about a year's time.

I have also stayed twice in a hotel in Azay. I can't remember the name now, but it is the one in this websites Rants and Raves. If they present the SOund and Light show (in Axzay) in March, it is a nice show.

Thank you so much to everyone who responded to my post! This is the first time I've ever posted on Fodors and I am so impressed with all the knowledge! I've taken much of your advice - booking at the Manoir les Minimes and we've decided to drive from Paris. I even found a Paris hotel recommendation on another message. So thanks for helping me make my trip great. Can't wait!

Don't be a stranger! We are all too happy to help.

Please post a trip report when you return. We would appreciate it greatly.

Enjoy your trip!

P.S. One last recommendation I forgot to mention before: Fontvraud Abbey. Well worth looking into.

I am going to the Loire valley first, then staying in Paris at the end of my trip. How difficult would it be to start out with a car from the Gard du Nord and drive out to the Loire valley? Do you have to go through city traffic to get on the road?

Re: Attempting to rent an automatic. Havne't done this in France, but in both UK and Ireland, we guaranteed our rental car to be an automatic by renting through British Air (via Hertz). In both cases we were also upgraded to a much more wonderful car. We booked through British Air, who booked through Hertz. Caveat: we also paid in advance, but the 'automatic' was guaranteed. It's been a few years, but assuming they still do this. Maybe, Air France (?) or some other airlines do also.

We,too,stayed at Manoir les Minimes and loved it. Highlight of our dining experiences was La Roseraie in nearby Chenonceau where we had the best lunch at a very reasonable price for the superb quality and amount of food. I wouldn't miss it. So cozy and charming.

Monique123 - Are you going from the airport to Gare de Nord and then driving? Why not just rent the car at the airport and head out that way, avoiding Paris all together. Then you can drop it back at the airport and take a cab or a train into Paris for the last part of your trip? We will likely rent our car out of Montparnasse train station since it's the furthest south in the city - avoid as much city driving as possible.

I'll be arriving at Gare du Nord from the Eurostar in London, and then after I return from the Loire valley, will be staying in Paris for a week. I don't want to keep the car for that week, of course. So I'm trying to figure out where to best rent from in Paris so to avoid Paris traffic. I think the Montparnasse station for rental makes the most sense. If I wanted to go to Vaux-le-Vicomte on my way in or out of Paris, how difficult would that be to do?

I don't think it would be that hard to get there. It's off of a main route straight from Paris. http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/ The only thing is that it is the opposite direction from the Loire Valley (southeast instead of southwest). So, if you don't mind a little detour, I don't see why you couldn't go there firt and then head to the Loire Valley.

We flew from San Francisco to Paris, rented the car at the airport (reserved in advance), completely avoided going into Paris and went straight to Chartres where we stayed 2 nights, then on to the Loire Valley (Amboise).

Vaux-le-Vicomte (near Fontainebleau) is not exactly in the "opposite direction" from Paris as compared to the Loire Valley. I often drive from the Loire Valley around Orléans and up through either Pithiviers or Puiseaux to Malesherbes and Milly-la-Forêt on the way to Paris. After Milly, you get onto the A6 autoroute and you drive past Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte, which are about 30 miles from Paris. It's easy.

So it would be easier to go to Vaux-le-vicomte on the way back to Paris? What station would be the easiest to choose for return of the car (to avoid traffic on a Friday). Also what are the hours of "rush hour" in Paris.