Amboise and Dordogne

I typically use Autoeurope, they are a consolidator for many car companies. Most of the companies are at the Tours train station. I don't believe you need a guide for either city. I suggest using the RS guidebook, perhaps supplementing with info from the forum (there are many trip reports) and other guidebooks. One of my other favorites is the Eyewitness guides. We stayed in La Roque Gageac at La Belle Etoile and Chateau du Pray just outside Amboise. Highly recommend both. I feel a car is helpful for both those areas

Thank you so much. It's difficult to make decisions from home in L.A.

The Dordogne isn't a town, but a region stretching over 200 km (speaking of the valley). Staying in the Dordogne for a day or two is pointless. You'll need at least five days with a rental car to see even a small part of it.

There are no car rental agencies near the Amboise station. You would want to take a train to the St Pierre des Corps station in Tours and rent from there. You will need an IDP to drive in France. Note that its about a 4 hour drive between Amboise and Perigeaux in the Dordogne. How many days total do you have for these 2 places? Given travel time to each place, a one night stay would only allow a half day of sightseeing. Even a 2 night stay is barely worthwhile, IMO. Where do you go after the Dordogne?

I didn't realize Dordogne was so large, and without spending several days there, I'm thinking I'm better off staying in Amboise and hiring a tour guide for the area. That might be a better fit for our short time there. We initially planned to stay in Paris for a week but after seeing Amboise and Dordogne thought that would be beautiful. Looks like we'll have to make another trip. Thank you for your good advice.

We found Amboise to be very easy to visit on our own. We rented a car and used the detailed information in the Rick steves guidebook. We also find the Eyewitness France guidebook to be very helpful. Amboise is a 30 minute drive from Tours where there are many rental car companies to chose from.

You definitely don't need a tour guide to visit the Loire and it's chateaux, as long as you have a good guidebook, map, and can drive a car. The driving is very easy there - just don't speed.

JoLui is correct. The Dordogne is a large beautiful area and a car is a mus, as all the various sights are spread apart. I wouldn't bother making the drive there (to which town?) for less than five days. It will take at a good five+ hours just to drive from Amboise to Sarlat in the Dordogne regon, for example.
The Loire Valley is worth a minimum two full days, but three is better. That means four nights for three full days. Beside Amboise and the chateaux, there are the troglodyte villages, mushroom caves near Saumur, wineries to visit, and some lovely towns (Nantes, Blois, Orleans e.g.)
I recommend you take all the time you allotted to Amboise and the Dordogne to the entire Loire Valley. You won't be bored.

lkobzeff,
Re difficulty walking. your husband should be fine in the Loire area. It is pretty flat, and the longest walks will be from the parking lots to the chateaux entrances. When I was there last it was before either of my knee replacement surgeries and I just took my time. And you can probably drop him off closer to the entrance if the parking up close is full, then join him after parking the car.