We are planning a trip to Paris. We'll spend a few days in Paris. We would like to travel to the Loire valley for around 5 days.
I have a few questions:
1) Is it easy to travel by train directly from Paris to Loire Valley? Which city/town is the best destination?
2) Is a car essential in the Loire Valley? If we have no car, are tours to the various chateaus easily available to book?
Thank you,
Mary Ann
It is very easy to travel by train from Paris to destinations in the Loire Valley, such as Amboise and Tours. Use either the SNCF or Trainline app to search for trains, and remember that the earlier you book your reservation, the cheaper your ticket is likely to be.
Personally, I really enjoyed Amboise as a base for touring the area. It was lovely and not very busy at all (we were there in mid-March and had stunning weather - which was unusual, apparently). Some people will say you cannot properly see the Loire Valley without a car, but I always prefer public transit and we easily and successfully visited Blois, Tours, Loches and Chenonceau by train and/or bus from Amboise. We also stayed in Saumur (which I liked less) during this same trip and had no trouble using the train to do day trips to Angers and Le Mans.
Just my two cents......hope you have a wonderful trip!
Hi Sue,
Thank you for your comments! Do you have any hotel recommendations at the towns you visited?
Appreciate any recommendations!
Regards,
Mary Ann
Second the recommendation for Amboise. Good base with lots to do in and around. The area just west of there has some of the greatest vineyards in the region.
A car is nice; especially if you want to visit some chateau but, as you say, you can book a tour.
We stayed just outside of the city at a beautiful hotel.. Hôtel Le Manoir Les Minimes. It's short walk to town.
Thank you Chris,
I appreciate the second recommendation on staying in Amboise. This assures me that it most likely the best choice to stay in the area!
Regards,
Mary Ann
Another vote for Amboise. It is lovely. We are taking our third trip to the Loire this spring and have stayed in Amboise each time. A trip to Bigot is a must for coffee/pastries. The market is on Sunday I believe. Worth a stop to gather food for a picnic lunch.
Thank you Erica for your vote! I guess I really need to start from there!
Regards,
Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann,
Unfortunately, I can't offer any hotel recommendations as we generally stay in Airbnbs. I just prefer having the extra space and kitchen area that generally comes with an Airbnb property, especially with a family. I have booked and stayed in dozens over the years in multiple countries and I usually find they are more economical than a hotel, unless we are only staying for 1 night.
Try using the "search" feature on this forum to find recommendations for hotels in Amboise or otherwise, or post a question asking specifically for such recommendations - I'm sure you will get lots of suggestions from others.
Good luck!
