After a week in Paris, I knew I'd be dying for some peace and quiet. I spent hours researching, trying to find an archetypal little French town that would be a great place to spend a couple of days to recharge. Amboise, situated in the Loire Valley, was perfect! Exactly what I wanted. Quaint, peaceful, great bars, an amazing chateau and cute little streets with a surprise around every corner.
It was really easy to get to - and only about two hours from Paris. We caught an early train from Paris Austerlitz, stopped in Orleans for an hour, and then took a second train the rest of the way. The Amboise train station is just a 15 minute easy walk from the town centre. I think it was about 60 euro return for one person. On the way back I was a bit worried because we only had ten minutes to switch trains at Orleans, but French trains seem to run exact to the second! So there was no problem making the second train.
It was really easy to get to - and only about two hours from Paris. We caught an early train from Paris Austerlitz, stopped in Orleans for an hour, and then took a second train the rest of the way. The Amboise train station is just a 15 minute easy walk from the town centre. I think it was about 60 euro return for one person. On the way back I was a bit worried because we only had ten minutes to switch trains at Orleans, but French trains seem to run exact to the second! So there was no problem making the second train.
Chateau d'Amboise
You can't miss this Chateau. It looks out over the entire town. This is my first chateau visit and I wasn't disappointed! The grounds and garden are immaculate. The views are stunning. It's full of history - Leonardo Da Vinci is buried here! What more could you want?
It was a great way to spend a couple of hours. I can't wait to explore more chateaux...Chateau de Chenonceau is top of my list!
Chateau du Clos Luce
Next up - Chateau du Clos Luce. This is essentially a Leonardo Da Vinci muesum. It is a chateau where he spent the last few years of his life. Inside, a few of his inventions are housed, built by IBM. You can also see a second painting he did of the Mona Lisa - minus the crowds at the Louvre! While all of that is interesting and blah blah, I really just liked walking around the garden. I've been to a lot of muesums this year and honestly, my attention span is just gone. I cannot take in anymore historical information. So, wandering a round a garden in the sun is good enough for me.
The town itself
I really loved the town. It was adorable and they had fully embraced Christmas with lights everywhere. We went to three pretty cool pubs. Le Shaker - where you get cocktails the size of your head and a riverside view of Chateau d'Amboise. Le Bastringue - a cool piano bar with delicious cocktails. And Bistrot L'Atelier which was the rowdiest of the bunch. I managed to order 'un vodka avec eau gazeuse et le citron vert' and I was very impressed with myself. The French know how to do vodka - you don't need to order a double! They pour half the bloody bottle in there.
The town was great to just wander around in and sample croque monsieurs (Le Shaker had the best one, surprisingly!). La Fourchette is an adorable restaurant wih home cooking, and is very cosy with only about eight tables - it was delicious.
I'd love to go back to Amboise in summer and sip cocktails while enjoying the view of the Loire.
The town was great to just wander around in and sample croque monsieurs (Le Shaker had the best one, surprisingly!). La Fourchette is an adorable restaurant wih home cooking, and is very cosy with only about eight tables - it was delicious.
I'd love to go back to Amboise in summer and sip cocktails while enjoying the view of the Loire.
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