Which village or town in Loire?

Would you like to settle quite close to Nantes? If so, you could consider the medieval town of Clisson (some information there http://visite.bretagne.free.fr/index.php/en/towns/clisson.html . There is also the castle of Goulaine not far). But if you mean a town more central to explore Loire Valley castles, why not Amboise, Langeais or Saumur ?

Thank you for the suggestions. We do not need to be close to Nantes on this part of the trip so I will explore the three you suggested- Amboise, Langeais and Saumur. Do you have a favorite?

My daughter and I enjoyed our stay in Amboise.
Keep in mind that many of the business establishments close on Monday (the day we arrived); but we didn't have a problem finding some open restaurants right across from the castle.
Amboise was quiet and peaceful when we were there in June.

Enjoy!

Edit to add...

The tourist information office was open on Monday & the staff were very helpful.

If you decide to stay in Amboise, consider having a meal at Chez Bruno, we ate there two nights in a row!
Make sure you make reservations though as it's a popular spot ;-)

There is also a wonderful Charcuterie/delicatessen on Rue Nationale, where you can buy your sandwich meats and cheeses for a delicious picnic. Pick up some fresh baguettes or croissants at a nearby bakery & you're set for your day visiting the Chateaux.
There's also a Carrefour Market, where you can get whatever else you need.

Enjoy!

I think Amboise is ideal. It's not big and bustling, but it has enough to be interesting for several days. It's a lovely and charming small town where everything is very walkable which is especially nice for teenagers... the chateau, Leonardo daVinci's house (Clos Lucé), shops, restaurants, the river, etc.

I liked Amboise. It might be a little big for you but it's not a city. It has a little shopping district near the Chateau, with a variety of restaurants in and near there. It's also centrally located for many western chateaux. If you are more interested in chateaux further east, maybe Blois.

We stayed in Amboise and loved it! We rented this lovely apartment here. We loved the location! The best boulangerie just across the street! (Pedestrian only street!) I think they made the best croissants! We did have a car and parking was easy. Loved Amboise!

Also vote for Amboise. Easy to drive to Chambord, Chenonceau and others from there, and a nice-sized location to explore/browse, and plenty of restaurants.

Love, love, love Amboise!!! Great little town located on the Loire river, and it's perfectly situated to visit nearby chateau.

Add another vote for Amboise, although I didn't stay there. I stayed in Azay-le-Rideau (much smaller and quieter) and Blois (much bigger and busier) and enjoyed them both for various reasons, but if I was to go again I would probably stay in Amboise. I loved the time I spent there as a day-tripper and would have loved to spend the night there.

Another vote for Amboise! Check out an apartment across the street from the chateau called Villa Concorde. Owner Karine is easy to work with, and the location is fantastic. Free parking on the street right outside the apartment. It's an easy walk (3-5 min.) to the city center.

Amboise was part of our Loire Valley tour, and we also went to Le Clos Lucé. Our kids thought that was really interesting, to see so many of daVinci's plans and models of his inventions. I'd highly recommend a visit there while in Amboise. I think that we were told there was an underground passage from the chateau at Amboise to Clos Lucé - that was interesting to ponder!

Chenonceau was our favorite chateau to visit while in the region.

Enjoy!
Laurie

Thanks to everyone for the input and advice. We have booked one of the apartments in the Villa Concorde in Amboise. Can't wait!