Chinon or Amboise as base for touring the Loire?

I really like Amboise and have stayed there twice. The town is pretty central to great chateaus and Amboise has a great street of restaurants at the base of the Amboise chateau that is quite charming. I didn't think we actually went all the way into the town of Chinon though we enjoyed a stop at a winery for a tasting--Pierre Bertrand.

I hope you saw the nearby thread,
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/things-to-do-near-saumur-and-chinon

You didn't say that you have rental car, but presumably you do. Either location you describe is fine, although the drive to the "opposite" end of the attraction route is long. We chose to focus on the West end, and never drove to Amboise, which is a big omission. It was easy for us to make that decision because our next hotel was in Brittany, followed by Normandy. Because you get to see Azay and Villandry, plus Fontevraud Abbey (UNESCO WHS) the options to the West were not a disappointment to us at all.

It's really a choice between the chateaux east of Tours (Amboise) or those west of Tours (Chinon), since your time is limited and, as another poster said, it can be a long drive from one side to the other. My own preference would be Amboise, but yours may differ. Read up on the chateaux and decide which ones you most want to see, then pick the side with the majority of them. Plan to visit two each full day, which will give you time to appreciate them, do the necessary driving, and enjoy the countryside and some good meals.

Amboise has a fine chateau, plus Clos Luce where Leonardo lived and died (a bonus). Chinon has the ruins of a fine chateau.

Amboise. When cycling in the area I twice stayed in Onzain, a nice town across the Loire from Chaumont.

Thank you for the feedback. When you say it's a long drive between Amboise and Chinon how long is it? I am hoping to see both Chenonceau and Villandray.