Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Amboise(pop.14,000)coversgroundonbothsidesoftheLoire,withthe“GoldenIsland”
(Ile d'Or) in the middle. The train station is on the north side of the Loire, but nearly
everything else is on the south (château) side, including the TI. Pedestrian-friendly Rue
Nationale parallels the river a few blocks inland and leads from the base of Château
d'Amboise through the town center and past the clock tower—once part of the town
wall—to the Romanesque Church of St. Denis.
Tourist Information
The information-packed TI is on Quai du Général de Gaulle (May-Sept Mon-Sat
9:30-18:30, Sun 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00; Oct-April Mon-Sat 10:00-13:00 &
14:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-13:00; tel. 02 47 57 09 28,
www.amboise-valdeloire.com
). Pick
up the brochures with self-guided walking tours in and around the city, and consider pur-
chasingticketstokeyareachâteaux(savingtimeinticketlines—explainedunder“Helpful
Hints,” later). Ask about sound-and-light shows in the region (generally summers only).
The TI stores bags (€2.50 each), books local guides, and can reserve a room for you in
a hotel or
chambre d'hôte
(€3 fee). Their free English-speaking service, SOS Chambres
d'Hôtes, can tell you which rooms are still available when the TI is closed (tel. 02 47 23
27 42).
