THE LOIRE - France 2014 - page 555

Sleeping near Amboise
The area around Amboise is peppered with good-value accommodations of every shape,
size, and price range. This region offers drivers the best chance to experience château life
ataffordablerates—andmyrecommendationsjustifythedetour.Forlocations,seethemap
on here . Also consider the recommended accommodations in Chenonceaux and the Hôtel
du Grand St. Michel at Chambord.
$$$ Château de Pray**** allows you to sleep in a 770-year-old fortified castle
with hints of its medieval origins. A few minutes from Amboise, the 14 rooms in the
château aren't big or luxurious, but they come with character and wads of history—and
with tubs in most bathrooms. There is no lounge, but the backyard terrace compensates
well when the weather agrees. A newer annex offers four contemporary rooms (sleeping
up to three each), with lofts, terraces, and views of the castle. A big pool and the restaur-
ant's vegetable garden lie below the château (small Db in main building-€150, bigger Db-
€200-270,Dbinannex-€175,continentalbreakfast-€17,noair-con,3-minutedriveupriver
fromAmboise toward Chaumont onD-751,tel. [phone], http://praycastel.online.fr ,
[e-mail] ) . The dining room is splendid and a relaxing place to splurge...and
feel good about it (four-course menus from €57, reservations required).