Curious what people think of trying to do this? The days we have available for a day trip are SNCF strike days, so we really don't want to try and use the train system. Tours are fairly expensive for 4 people... then I had the thought we could just rent a car.
Not sure how bad the logistics and the travel time would be... but it must be possible because they have group tour buses that do it.
Thanks for any advice.
Well, at first I was going to recommend that you take a train to Chartres or Tours to avoid driving in Paris. But, I see now, what you are doing. We think it is very easy to drive and navigate in the Loire, in fact, the ideal way, but we typically start with a train ride out of Paris. Is it possible to take a train to Tours or Chartres in the evening on a nonstrike day and then rent a car? Otherwise, I would look at a map and try to find a rental car location in Paris that gives you the easiest drive out of Paris.
We drove in the Loire (and Burgundy and Alsace) on our very first trip to Europe. We don't speak French. Other than a little difficulty buying gas, it was extremely easy.
Agree 100% with julesmenssen - same rationale here. Driving in the Loire = easy. Driving in Paris = stressful and to be avoided any way if possible.
According to Via Michelin, the travel time from Paris to Amboise is about 2 1/2 hours each way - not encountering any delays. Gas and tolls would be about $90 round trip.
Whew... that's pretty far. I would have thought it was a bit closer just because of the day tour groups. May have to re-think.
The tour groups to Chartres and Fontainbleau are cheaper. Might just do one of those. I've been to Fontainbleau (wouldn't mind going back though) but not to Chartres.
Then there is St. Denis and Vincennes. Might just visit them.
Philip, you bring up something we've been thinking about. We dislike the toll roads. The tolls are high and the roads are boring. On our last trip, we were fairly successful at avoiding them. We picked up the car in Chartres and drove to Amboise with a stop in Vouvray. I don't think we encountered any tolls. In other cases (not in Loire) we've gotten ourselves lost by trying to take more scenic routes. GPS's are pretty good if you blindly follow the directions, but if you have your own ideas it can be frustrating. Can anyone recommend a good source for highway maps for Spain and France?
We've spent a lot of time driving through Loire Valley and love it - very easy to do and great fun!
I have another question, though, related to car rental. Typically, we lease a car at the airport in Paris and drive south. I will be going later in the summer, but this time will be looking to rent (rather than lease) a car for a shorter period of time. I've read Rick's recommendations in the guide books. Does anyone have suggestions for car rental company's they've had good luck with? I am also looking to have a low (or zero) deductible - any advice? With the lease, it comes with a zero deductible so not as familiar when it comes to renting a car. I like to have peace of mind when I am driving in Europe.
Thanks so much for you insights.
Ryan
Ryan, we have used Autoeurope and Europcar and have been happy with both. Autoeurope works with several rental car companies and negotiates some pretty good rates. I rent for much less in Europe than U.S. and typically do not get socked for one day rentals. Last rental in Europe for about a week $100. Last week, I rented for 3 days (actually 2 days, 3 hours) and paid $155. There was a $75 drop fee when I returned to the airport location instead of downtown. I do not buy any additional insurance because my credit card provides for excellent coverage when traveling.
We are renting a car at CDG Airport and driving through Normandy, Mont Ste Michel, through the Loire Valley ending at Fontainebleu, returning the car to ORLY airport before our 5 days in Paris. You might want to check out renting the car from Orly on the outskirts of Paris to drive through the Loire. We used AutoEurope and found a Hertz rental that was very affordable.
Tammy
Can anyone recommend a good source for highway maps for Spain and France?
We've always used Michelin maps, mostly the "Local" series (the 300 series). When we plan our vacation we get new Michelin maps if it's an area that isn't fully covered by what we already have; otherwise we use maps from prior trips until they fall apart.
