We will be going to Tours from Paris and would like to stay in a chateaux for 4 nights that is well located, in a beautiful setting with peaceful gardens and spacious rooms. ideally the chateaux would not be too large and offer a great breakfast and even an evening meal. I have checked out Chateaux de la Villane, CHateaux de Brou, Chateau de Rochecotte. Are there any better than this and what direction from tours can you find the most interesting villages to visit?
|||
Other chateaux that you could look at are:
Domaine de la Tortiniere - Veigny
Chateau de Pray - Amboise
Chataeau de Noizay - Noizay
Chateau d%26#39;Artigny - Montbazon
There are interesting villages all around Tours. I prefer the area to the south and west of Tours, but one of the joys of driving on the country roads anywhere in the Touraine area is the number of small villages that you come across, where apart from the presence of cars, TV aerials, and overhead cables, nothing seems to have changed for a hundred years or so.
|||
Thanks for your helpful advice. We like the look of Ambois as is seems like a nice sized town on the river to base our exploring from. Do you agree?
I%26#39;ll keep in mind that you prefer the towns
It all sounds good!
|||
We are also going to the Loire for 4 nights... we are staying at Chateau de Pray in Amboise for two nights. This has breakfast, parking, a gourmet restaurant, and a swimming pool. The next two nights we will stay in Chinon at a cheaper inn called Hotel Diderot, also has breakfast and great reviews. Originally we wanted to stay at the chateau all 4 nights but they didnt have availability. Now I am glad that we have decided to stay in Chinon as well, as it will allow us to explore the town as well as more western towns such as Saumur. I%26#39;ve heard two of the most beautiful villages are between Chinon and Saumur, called Candes-St.-Martin and Montsoreau.
|||
%26lt;%26lt;We like the look of Amboise as it seems like a nice sized town on the river to base our exploring from. Do you agree? %26gt;%26gt;
Well, NO
I should avoid Amboise and the hoards of tourists that inexplicably migrate there like moths around a flickering flame. This once charming town has been inundated with bus loads of curiosity seekers to which local commerce has now targeted its marketing muscle selling trinkets and promoting good restaurants at prices one should expect of excellent ones. The château itself has been largely dismantled, its stone sold for profit by a greedy previous owner.
Certainly we should suggest a more imaginative base choice:
1. The Cheval Blanc in the small village of Bléré, between Chenonceau and Tours. Bléré is much quieter and less touristy than Amboise. This hotel/restaurant changed hands in early 2008 with the long-time owners retiring. Under the new owners, (Hélène et Fabrice Tavernier) the service is reportedly much more efficient but their culinary reputation is yet to be established. During the week (Tuesday to Friday) two courses (entrée and main dish) are €22 with a €7 supplement for dessert. Despite a change of owners, I still find this location worth considering as a place to base oneself.
www.lechevalblancblere.com
2. Personally I enjoy staying in the center of Tours, it%26#39;s central to all of the châteaux of the valley and there are plenty of restaurants, cafés, museums, and shopping for everyone%26#39;s taste. There are a number of chambres d%26#39;hotes (B%26amp;Bs) in Tours as well as outside of town.
For a complete list of area%26#39;s lodging possibilities, check here:
http://www.ligeris.com/
My favorite hotel in Tours is (with free parking):
Hotel du Manoir :
2, rue Traversière
http://site.voila.fr/hotel.manoir.tours
3. Between Blois and Tours
Auberge de Launay
in a beautiful setting and a wonderful restaurant
http://www.aubergedelaunay.com/
4. Hostel du Roy
in Chenonceaux
http://www.hostelduroy.com/
5. la Ferme des Berthiers
just south of tour in a very homey setting
http://www.lafermedesberthiers.fr/
6 Near Chenonceaux:
Le Bon Laboureur
http://www.bonlaboureur.com/
For a truly unique wine tasting experience, contact Phillipe Oudin and ask to visit his winery and cave. The cave was itself an important source of limestone used in the construction of many of the areas famous châteaux. I find particularly interesting his Cabernet Franc selections:
http://cavegrandebrosse.com/
|||
Highly recommend Chateau Rochecotte! We stayed there 4 nights with family (2 rooms). Breakfast and dinner each night were delightful and memorable. Suite accomodations are spacious and well appointed. The best part was the gracious service at all levels of staff. Grounds are beautiful and pool was a great ending to a day of touring.
No comments:
Post a Comment