Car hire Amboise area

Where will you be before and after your time in Amboise? We traveled in the Loire twice. One time we picked up in Alsace, returned in Tours and took the train to Paris from Tours. I felt the return in Tours and the train ride worked really well for us. We rented from Europcar. Another time we took the train to Chartres and rented in Chartres, visited Loire, Brittney and Normandy and I think we returned the car in Vernon/Giverny.

This is a little bonus trip after other things. We will be coming by train into Paris from Germany, stay a couple of nights and then to Amboise area as we have never been.
So a train to Amboise and just a couple of day trips out. It is December so we expect some limited openings but what we see is…what we see.
Happy to use trains and buses but a car might be useful to get out to more isolated areas.
I am from Australia and have only ever done driving on the right a couple of times: in Normandy and in annd around Portland USA but the area looks quiet and happy to stay on single lane roads.
If we have to get the train to Tiurs to get a good service we can do that.

Haha! For us its the opposite. In the last couple years, we've driven in England, New Zealand and recently in Australia! Driving on the "wrong" side does take some getting used to. It was mostly roundabouts where we tentative. I'm always the navigator, my husband drives. I pay very close attention, as a second set of eyes for him, in those countries.

On our first trip to Loire, we actually wanted to use the train from Amboise but there were not trains on the weekend. So we ended up using the train from Tours (which is were the high speed train is, anyway) and like I said, it worked fine.

I suggest using Autoeurope which is a consolidator handling many car companies. There will be a few different companies to choose from in Tours. For me, Autoeurope has always had the lowest prices and they can be very helpful if there are any problems.

If you plan to visit chateaus then you are probably best off with a car, especially in December when I suspect there would be fewer tour options. BTW, if you need a place to stay in Amboise, we stayed at Chateau du Pray just outside of town. It was fun to stay in a Chateau and the rate was reasonable. They also have a Michelin star restaurant at prices that weren't crazy.

Given that there are multiple car rental agencies just outside the St Pierre des Corps train station on the edge of Tours, and that it is the station for the TGV from Paris, it makes sense to travel there and get your car before driving the 20 km to Amboise. IIRC, we rented from Sixt while we were there. And I can second the recommendation of the Chateau de Pray- it is just outside Amboise, so it's very quiet at night.

Thank you , one and all.
Yes, looks like fast train to Tours and perhaps Sixt.
It does look very convenient to the nearby train station.

Will have a look at the Chateau……was not thinking quite so grand.

Ah, roundabouts are problems no matter where in the world. ! think I went around one in Liseux a few times!

Most of the major rental operators have offices outside the train station at St. Pierre des Corps. That maybe your best bet.

The car rental outlets in Amboise are inconveniently located in the outskirts of town, and the station is also inconvenient.
Service considerations aside, renting at Saint Pierre des Corps is far more convenient!

Thank you all. Good advice .

Don't overlook posted 2 hour lunch hours and daily closing times for cars in St P des Corps. Of course, these are posted online.