Loire Valley
Amboise and the Loire Valley Castles, from the Court of Louis 26
The Loire Valley is the garden of kings. Leonardo da Vinci settled here, castles grow like vines elsewhere, and Amboise holds the middle of it all. The Strolling King, for his part, keeps his Court here. Here is your guide, with Le Manoir as your base camp.
Why come to Amboise, in the Loire Valley?
Amboise is a small Touraine town set on the Loire, right in the heart of the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You wander it on foot: the quays, the market, the lanes, and two castles in the very centre of town.
It is an ideal starting point. Most of the great Loire castles are under an hour away, and Paris is only about an hour by train. You unpack once, then set out in every direction.
Which castles should you see around Amboise?
Two castles are in the town, the others a short distance away. Here is enough to build your itinerary.
| Château | Distance from Amboise | What to see |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Château of Amboise | in the town | terraces over the Loire, chapelle Saint-Hubert |
| Château du Clos Lucé | 5 min on foot | Leonardo da Vinci's last home |
| Chenonceau | ~15 km | the château set upon the Cher |
| Chaumont-sur-Loire | ~20 km | international garden festival |
| Villandry | ~30 km | Renaissance gardens in embroidery |
| Chambord | ~50 km | the largest of the Loire castles |
A word of advice: two castles a day is plenty. The rest of the time, you stroll, you lunch on the terrace, you let the day breathe.
In the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci
Amboise keeps the master. Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years at the Clos Lucé, a guest of King Francis I, and he now rests in the chapelle Saint-Hubert, at the Royal Château.
The Clos Lucé is visited like a living workshop: its machines, its gardens, the spirit of a genius who loved, like the King, to let things come to him.
Exploring the Loire by bike
La Loire à Vélo follows the river for hundreds of kilometres, and it runs right past Amboise. It is the finest way to link the castles: flat, along the water, between vines and villages.
Le Manoir is a short pedal from the route. You set off in the morning, you come back for the barbecue.
Where to eat and sleep: Le Manoir, your base camp
Le Manoir de Louis 26 is at 19 avenue de Tours, in the heart of Amboise. Bar, open-air terrace, barbecue restaurant: somewhere to settle between two visits. And for the night, the City Suites, within Le Manoir itself, keep you in Touraine.
In Tours, some thirty minutes away, La Réserve de Louis 26 carries the stroll on into the city. Two addresses, one and the same Court.
The King has a table with your name on it. Discover Le Manoir, and make it your starting point for the castles.
