Advice - Chateau Maintenon

This is without a doubt one of my favorite hotels in France. You can sometimes go and almost have the place to yourself.

There is indeed parking in the square out front. And it's not a far walk to the Château. It's an easy and delightful place to visit. The aqua ducts really make it unique.

You must have typed in another Soleil - as it is right in the main square and a minute from le château.

Thank you! My hit was that the walking directions were wrong. It had me walking a long loop rather than..just across a street.. to get to the chateau. Any favorite restaurants or is there a village to explore?

The restaurant in the Mercure hôtel is pretty good. They have an amazing bell they house cheese. The restaurants in town really are nothing special.

We did this by train from Paris and so can't advise on parking issues -- it was a fair walk from the train station with directions that were a bit dicey but we did make it. The garden view is worth the trip.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2020/04/03/chateau-maintenon-home-of-louis-xivs-second-wife/

Thank you, Janet. Your blog is wonderful - appreciate the link. I also love traveling through the lense of history and was wondering if you might have some advice. We are staying in Amboise for 4 days (with a car) then to Paris for another 5 days (no car, but love train travel). We are traveling with our kids (well traveled) and grandparents - all who have an obsession with history. We've been to the Loire and Paris a few times in the past, so looking for new stops we haven't been to. We've been to Versailles, Bayeaux, Normandy, St. Milo, Giverney, Chenenceau,, Chambord, Amboise,

Loire:
- I'm looking at a day trip to Chartes and Maintenon. Is there another great loop (within 1.5 hours of Amboise), you'd recommend? We enjoy wandering small medieval towns with a point of historical interest.
-I think we are also going to visit Chateau Cheverney or Château d'Azay-le-Rideau.

Paris:
-On our drive from Amboise to Paris, I'm looking to stop for lunch and tour at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte based on your blog. Spectacular. Have you been in the spring or have a sense of the gardens are lovely early in the season? The Loire we have had great luck with April gardens. Versailles the gardens were missing - being ripped up between seasons in April.
-What train day trips would you recommend from Paris? We are looking for a new adventure. Reims is top on my list, but many things I want to see are under renovation right now so probably will hold off for another trip. I've been getting quite adventurous in our planning and even looking at Bordeaux, Dijon, Lyon to really experience a new area.... Rouen looks lovely too.

Anyway, I'm asking for a lot, but thought you might have some ideas based on all your wonderful travels!

On the way to Vaux-le-Vicomte you can visit Fontainebleau, the château there is from a historical point of view one of the best in France. It represents many generations of French royalty and you can see the table where Napoleon signed his abdication of the throne before being exiled to Elba. Fontainebleau is a nice place with a pleasant vibe.

However Vaux-le-Vicomte is much more charming. The tragic story of first owner, Nicolas Fouquet is well displayed in the main building. So that would be my choice in your case.

Near Maintenon is Rambouillet and it’s château worth a visit. Janet has a blog about it too.

France has many wonderful “châteaux”, nevertheless there is a risk getting enough of it. it’s worth to think about limiting the visits. I have travelled to France for many years, each time for a week and most of the time with a maximum of three visits to a château.

Loches is touristy, but very charming, as well as Montrésor. Montbard and Saint-Aignan are lovely places along the Cher river. Easy to visit during a tour.