Acco Dipso Tours from Amboise?

I think giving your husband a break from the driving is worthy.

But I will suggest that all the chateaux you listed are quite close to each other, with easy parking, and with your own car you can come and go as you decide, when you are done with one place you can move on.

The "tours" you mention really are for people with no transportation of their own.

Taking them means you will swap the stress of driving for the stress of coming and going when the group goes not your own preferences, and spend time all gathered at the bus while waiting for the stragglers to finally catch up.

If the driving is too much for him maybe you need to rethink how much you really should cover in a day?

If your number one priority is Chenonceau, don't take a tour or shuttle there--you will arrive with all the other tourist hordes. The drive from Amboise is easy--I''d leave so that you get to the chateau before it opens. Be the first ones inside the chateau and save the gardens for later in the morning, when the chateau interior gets too crowded. Also, I wouldn't do three chateaux in one day--really it's too much of the same thing--like eating a gallon of chocolate ice cream when just a bowl would do. Villandry is unique because of its amazing gardens, so I'd probably do Chenonceau in the morning and drive the Villandry in the afternoon.

Chambord is one of a kind, too. Chenonceau and Azay-le-Rideau are both smaller, intimate chateaux. Some people get maxed out on chateaux quickly, me for example, but if you do three: the buildings of Chenonceau and Chambord, but the gardens of Villandry.

Thanks all

To be honest- we are probably more interested in “seeing” the chateaux- (setting, architecture, exterior, grounds) than we are in “visiting”
That said I have prioritized Chenonceau, Villandry, Clos de Luce

I believe I have settled on this plan

Day 1- Drive from MSM to Villandry- visit just the gardens and have lunch
then depending on time drive to Azay-le-Rideau- just “see” chateau and village
From there drive to Amboise- check in-visit town

Day 2
Visit Chenonceau in am-
then I will let my husband decide what we are up for- depends on weather and how long we spent at Chenonceau, etc.
Drive to Chambord/Chaumont/Cheverny? perhaps “visit” 1, perhaps not
Or head back to Amboise and visit Close de Luce or just enjoy the town.

I did get this info from the company about length of time allowed on tours--for future reference:

Tour #2- Villandry 0H45 TO 0H55- Azay-le-Rideau 0H50 TO 1H00-Chenonceau 1H45 TO 2H00

Tour #4 Villandry 0H45 TO 0H55- Azay-le-Rideau 0H50 TO 1H00-Chenonceau 1H20 TO 1H30-Chambord1H20 TO 1H30

As you can see they are all rather short stops- the company does get excellent reviews though.

Interesting timings. Apropos of nothing, when my wife and I went to Chenonceau - our fav - we spent just over 3 hours there, and then went back the next day for about 2 more. We were just us. It was August but not overcrowded at all.