Grand Spectacle Nocturne at Amboise Castle - Loire Valley

Has anyone been to see the son et lumiere at the Amboise Castle called the Grand Spectacle Nocturne? I%26#39;m wondering if it is worthwhile, and especially since we do not speak French, would this be a problem? Is it more of a play where you can follow along by the scenes, or is it worthless to go if you do not understand French?

Any advice would be great!! Thanks!

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the sound quality is awful, basically its the local drama club pottering about on a lawn with back projection and coloured lights, its hard enough to understand even for the locals and having endured it a few times i notice that about 10% of the audience is nodding off by about halfway through.

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Thanks for the response! I had decided not to do this show, but you have solidified my decision! thank you so much!

Any experience with the Night Walk at Chenonceaux? Wondering if that would be a nice time?

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Chambord has a fantastic Sons et Lumieres and is certainly one of the better ones out of all the Loire Chateaux. Lots of dancing and the light show is spectacular.

chambord.org/Chambord-fr-idm-77-n-Sons_et_lu…

It starts at 11pm and lasts just over an hour.

Be warned, it gets very busy during high season (so book early).

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imiss - thanks for the tip on Chambord. This looks exactly like what I am looking for, however we will be staying in Amboise for 2 nights and then Chinon for two nights. (We%26#39;ll be hitting Chambord on our way down during the day, so at least we%26#39;ll see it and tour it during the day!)

Do you have any other suggestions for Son et Lumiere shows that may be closer to either area that we are staying overnight in?

THANKS!

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The night walk at Cheneonceaux is just that - you walk around and every thing is lit up. It is not exactly a son et lumiere, but it makes a pleasant change from the hordes of tourists thronging the grounds during the day.

In the evenings there is a similar thing at the chateau of Azay le Rideau, but when I was there last year it was rather more contemporary, with abstract patterns projected onto the chateau exterior.

The spectacle at Amboise is much more traditiobal, recounting some of the history of the chateau, and the stay of Leonardo Da Vinci there. When I saw it a few years ago I found that it went on a long time, and the wooden benches the audience sits on become very uncomfortable after a while.