Amboise Chateau
| On this page: |
Amboise Chateau |
Other links: |
gorgeous
day - blue skies and temperatures in the low-70's. After lunch we
toured the first level of the chateau, and then split up - Mom, Cecilia,
and Nancy went to explore the upper levels of the chateau, while Dad and
I headed to expansive lawn behind the chateau to relax on the grass.
Unfortunately Dad would not let me nap for long, and we spent an hour admiring
the chateau, and watching people and several horses that were trotting
around the lawn.
We left Chambord at around 4pm, and headed west along the Loire River. We passed through several small villages, and spotted several vineyards that were only days away from being harvested. We arrived in the small town of Amboise around 5:30pm, and checked into a cozy bed & breakfast called Le Vieux Manoir - only steps away from the main street of Amboise. The B&B owner was an American woman who had restored the B&B in the late 1990's - it was in perfect condition. The house had once been a convent, and was once connected via tunnels to the Amboise castle and other landmarks in the village.
We relaxed in the yard of the B&B, enjoying the late afternoon sun.
I went for a jog while everyone unpacked. I returned and showered,
then Mom and I went for a walk through town to look for take-out dinner
to bring back to the B&B. Cecilia and her mother went out for
dinner, to a nice French restaurant just below the chateau. We were
all back in the B&B by 10pm, and asleep early after a long day in the
valley. Images from the day:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The sun was up, and the skies were again clear. Cecilia, Nancy, and I decided to make a quick visit to the Amboise chateau while Mom and Dad packed up their room. We saw the tomb of Leonardo de Vinci, and walked through the various rooms of the chateau. The highlight was the view of the valley from the upper levels of the chateau, which is perfectly situated on the banks of the river. The chateau was significantly older than all others that I had visited previously, and had a very medieval feeling - the numerous gargoyles may have had something to do with it.
We left the B&B around 11:30am, and headed to nearby Chenonceau
Chateau. We arrived just before noon - just in time for lunch at
an adjacent restaurant. We snacked on the cafeteria food, and watched
people as they wandered through the chateau gardens. Chenonceau is
one of the most impressive chateaux in the valley, as it spans the entire
Cher river. Nancy, Cecilia, and Mom toured the chateau while Dad
and I investigated the beautiful gardens. We met up with the others
on the first floor of the chateau, then headed back to the cafe for a late-afternoon
coffee. By 3pm we were ready to start back towards Paris. We
arrived back in the city with minimal traffic, and were home by 6pm.
Another pleasant weekend in the Loire Valley! Images from the day:
 |
 |
 |
 |
Did you find a mistake
in this page, or do you want to add an image? Please submit
your new information.