THE LOIRE - France 2014 - page 540

Taxi: Thereisnotaxistation inAmboise,soyoumustcall forone.Try0247571353,06
12 92 70 46, or 06 88 02 44 10 (allow €26 to Chenonceaux, €38 in the evening or on
Sun).
Local Guides: Fabrice Maret and Charlotte Coignard both enjoy teaching about the
cities and castles of the Loire region. They'll meet you at your hotel or the château of
your choice; for details, see here .
Car Rental: It's easiest to rent cars at the St-Pierre-des-Corps train station (TGV service
from Paris), a 15-minute drive from Amboise. On the outskirts of Amboise, Garage
Jourdain rents cars (roughly €55/day for a small car with 100 kilometers/62 miles
free, Mon-Fri 7:45-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sun,
about a mile downriver from the TI at 105 Avenue de Tours, tel. [phone]). Pri-
cier Europcar is outside Amboise on Route de Chenonceaux at the Total gas station
(about €70/day for a small car, tel. [phone], www.europcar.com ). Figure €7 for
a taxi from Amboise to either place.
Chocolate Fantasy: A tasty and historic stop for chocoholics is Bigot Pâtisserie &
Chocolatier. Say bonjour to adorable owner Christiane, and try their specialty, Puits
d'Amour—“Well of Love” (good coffee too, daily, one block off the river, where
Place Michel Debré meets Rue Nationale, tel. [phone]).
Self-Guided Walk
Welcome to Amboise
(See “Amboise” map, here . )
This short walk starts at the banks of the Loire River, winds past the old church of St.
Denis,andmeandersthroughtheheartoftowntoafinelittlecitymuseum.You'llendnear
the entrance to Château Royal d'Amboise and Leonardo's house. See the map on here to
orient yourself.
• Climb to the top of the embankment overlooking the river across from the TI.
Amboise Riverbank: Survey the town, its island, bridge, and castle. If you have a
passion for anything French—philosophy, history, food, wine—you'll feel it here, along
the Loire. This river, the longest in the country and the natural boundary between northern
andsouthernFrance,isthelast“untamed”riverinthecountry(therearenodamsormech-
anisms to control periodic flooding). The region's châteaux line up along the Loire and
its tributaries, because before trains and trucks, stones for big buildings were best shipped
by boat. You may see a few of the traditional flat-bottomed Loire boats moored here. The
bridge spanning the river isn't just any bridge. It marks a strategic river crossing and a