Hello,

I need advice for hotels mid-range to upper range for October for 3 nights in Loire Valley. We don't like remote locations though we will have a car. I am leaning towards basing in Amboise and doing 2-3 castles. we will be arriving via train from Paris early afternoon. Also, could you suggest what else we can do besides castles. Thank you,

The Loire Valley is about 1000km long....

When you say castles do you mean chateau (generally taken to mean large country houses) or castles (generally taken to mean fortified military bases), if castles then Chinon is your boy.

The abbey at Fontevraud (near Saumur) is a special place and you can stay in the hotel next door (the ex priory) with palatial grounds and is a good story to tell people.

Wine is the next best story about the Loire, a fair few towns have tasting rooms and you can do vinyard visits etc, see also mushrooms and other food stuffs.

Cycling, canoeing, boat tours, market visits ... https://www.loiretourisme.com/en/

Another vote for Fontevraud's abbey, both as a place to stay and a place to visit.

I was glad to see the Tapestry of the Apocalypse in Angers, which also holds the Musee Jean Lurcat.

Two of my fave chateaux are Chambord for it's sheer size and amazing rooftop and Chenonceaux.

Our most recent visit we stayed in Beaugency which is well 'off centre' but it was August and we had no advance reservations. We did enjoy the stay at the Ecu de Bretagne Hotel, a 17th century coaching inn.

Hi,
Here are some suggestions for visits in Amboise and its surroundings:
Caves Ambacia : a historic wine cellar carved into the tuffeau rock, just a 10-minute walk from the center of Amboise. They offer free guided tastings or paid tours with food and wine pairings
Montlouis-sur-Loire and Vouvray are two renowned wine towns famous for their exceptional Chenin Blanc wines, including dry, sweet, and sparkling varieties. Montlouis-sur-Loire is a peaceful riverside town with a relaxed vibe, perfect for quiet walks.Vouvray is a charming village with cobbled streets. Guided tours in English are available from Amboise : for instance, Loire-Valley-Half-Day-Tour-from-Amboise-Vouvray-Wine-Tasting.
If you’re looking for a cozy place to stay in Amboise, consider these two lovely options:
Le Clos d’Amboise : a charming old mansion with garden and small pool, central.
Manoir Saint Thomas : peaceful historic stay with character, close to everything.
Have a great trip !

Thank you for all the suggestions. I am sorry I meant chateaux (not castle). I have booked Le Clos d'Amboise. Looks like a nice place. Day 1 we arrive at CDG from USA early morning and will be taking a train to Amboise. We want to then rent a car. RometoRio shows that we take the TGV to Saint-Pierre-Des-Corps station. Would you suggest that we pick up the car at this station and then drive to Amboise? What sightseeing could we do on this day since one would be jet lagged as well. The next two full days I was thinking we could do Chenonceaux in the morning and Chambord in the afternoon one day since we will have a car. Is it doable? Or if you advice we don't need a car.

No way! You won't be safe to drive -- not safe for yourselves or for anyone else on the road -- for at least 36 hours after a transatlantic flight. Anyone who says otherwise has simply been lucky.

thanks kja, I saw that as well and it freaked me out, OP please don't drive the so soon after the flight. Use trains, buses, taxis etc. until your brain is back straight. Micro-sleeps are killers.

The train goes to Amboise and Rome2Rio shows it.

The most convenient option is to take the TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, then a regional train to Amboise : train CDG - Amboise.

The distance from St. Pierre-des-Corps to Amboise is less than 15 miles! If it were me, I would rent a car at the TGV station and drive to the hotel. I understand (and agree with) the concern about driving for several hours after a transatlantic flight—but for a fairly easy 20-25 minute drive I wouldn’t put myself (and family) in a situation of finding the right local train, getting myself, family, and luggage on board, getting off a stop or two later in Amboise but on the wrong side of the Loire, getting a cab or, worse, walking across the bridge to centre ville. And then, where and when are you going to rent a car— likely the next day back at St. Pierre-des-Corps, and you’ve pretty much wasted a day, at least.

I understand the concern. But we are not driving for several hours. Just 15-20 minutes from TGV station as you mentioned. Plus it is an overnight flight and we would be sleeping on the plane. Thank you for your concern and response.

Sleeping on the plane does not eliminate the microsleeps that are the root problem. Only resetting your circadian clock can address the problem. As for the distance ... did you ever wonder why so many accidents are near one's home? You are putting EVERYONE ON THE ROAD in jeopardy.