I am so confused with everything I am reading about where to stay in Loire. I will be traveling into St. Pierre des Corps and wanted to rent a car. First question: Can I rent a car at this train station or will I need to go into Tours?
I will be staying 3 nights and don%26#39;t need to see EVERYTHING... just want to visit a few chateaux and see the area. I have been looking at places to stay at Chenonceau (because of recommendations) also at Chambord... then looking at Amboise, Blois, and Tours. I really don%26#39;t want to stay much further than these cities, but so confused as to which place to stay as a base? I would like somewhere that is charming to walk around at night. It doesn%26#39;t need to have a night life... just decent restaurant choices.
Also, after I arrive at the St.Pierre des Corps station and rent a car somewhere... then 3 days later I have to go back to SOME train station to go to Nantes. I am still trying to put everything together as to how to get everywhere. But I would love some advice on where to stay.
Thank you in advance for any help.
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Yes there are car rental companies at St Pierre des Corps, and you do not have to go into Tours Centre station to rent your car. In fact there are more car rental agencies at St Pierre des Corps than in Tours Centre.
At the end of your stay you can take the car back to St Pierre des Corps, and catch a train to Nantes. You have to change at Angers. Depending on connections the total journey is between one and a half hours and two and a half hours long. Or you could drive to Angers and leave the car there.
As to where to stay, Tours is a good choice, and is faily central. Amboise is smaller and nicer, providing that you do not want to go in July or August, when it is very busy.
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I reckon Loches is the places for you - closer to Tours than Blois is, a bit smaller, but with it%26#39;s own chateau (one that Michelin rates as being as good as Amboise) that very few people visit. It has some excellent restaurants, and a great market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It also has some beautiful views and really interesting buildings (and a pair of Titians that were only discovered this century). It also does charm by the bucketload.
From there it%26#39;s 30 minutes to Chenonceaux, Tours, Montpoupon, Montresor etc etc etc, farm shops (including the cherve Ste Maure de Touraine, which is considered one of the world%26#39;s great goats cheeses) and forest walks.
Simon
http://daysontheclaise.blogspot.com/
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I agree that Loches is a great destination and surprisingly overlooked. If you%26#39;re there on Wed or Sat, go to the market. Wonderful! Be sure to walk to the pretty park on the other side of the Indre river for a terrific view of the chateau, donjon, and church up on the hill.
We%26#39;ve never stayed in Loches itself--we%26#39;re not town people--but we can recommend two B%26amp;Bs fairly nearby, where we%26#39;ve stayed, both with English-speaking owners.
For chateaux, Chenonceau and Montpoupon are not that far away from Loches, along back roads most of the way. To get to Azay le Rideau (smallish but my favorite), you could take the beautiful drive along the river downstream, the D17. Montresor is a very pretty village with a chateau, well worth visiting--I can only speak of the village since we didn%26#39;t go into the chateau.
This only helps for the Loches area. Sorry I can%26#39;t help with the major Loire chateaux.
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Thank you all so much! I appreciate your replies. Loches has never even hit the radar. I just looked it up. Lovely! Yes, we love medieval towns, and we really like to be able to walk around at night and pick a good restaurant and just wander.
Ok... good to know on the car situation. That is where I will find a rental as things get closer.
Thanks again...
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I%26#39;m considering Loches too, I was travelling down to sarlat and thinking of saying here one night on my way down. One night in Amboise, one in Loches and then onto Sarlat.
Does this sound feasible.
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Amboise to Loches is only 30 minutes by road - I reckon stay in one place for two nights makes for an easier holiday - no lugging suitcases from hotel to hotel, no leaving them in the car while you sightsee.
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