So many things to see, so little time. The town of Amboise and its surroundings offer many attractions to the visitors, for one day, one weekend or a week. You will find here ideas for visits to monuments, attractions and events not to be missed. This choice is personal. We have tested them and especially loved them. Keep in mind that since 4 generations of the Yung family is related to Amboise and its area and that we will be happy to help you to plan your stay (you will find at the front desk a hundreds of leaflets about local attractions, charts, plans, guides...). For a week-end: Arrive at the end of the afternoon or early evening on Friday (rooms are available from one o'clock). The advantage of arriving the day before it is that you can begin visiting early in the morning (most attractions opens at 9). We can advise you on / good restaurants such as the / Alliance for a meal of very good quality at a very accessible price, or with L'Ecluse for a more family cuisine and a musical dinner. After dinner, have a walk on the L'ile d'Or (Golden Island) and taste a / cocktail or a beer at Le Shaker,a small pub which has a splendid view of the illuminated castle during the summer (beautiful choice of large cocktails at small prices). Saturday, after a good breakfast at the hotel (bread and pastries cooked on the premises) it is time to begin the serious things. The Castle opens its doors (and not its drawbridge) at 9 o'clock, the visit lasts about 2 hours (building and gardens). You will then be / able to admire Amboise from a panoramic point of view. Do not miss the Saint-Hubert Chapel in which the tomb of Leonard de Vinci has just been the subject of an elegant restoration. It is now around eleven,as you leave this visit... a pleasant walk in Amboise leads you to the cellars for a wine tasting (don't miss Plou et Fils who are wine makers since the XVIth century) or to the banks of the Loire to admire the last wild river of Europe. For lunch, the city proposes all kinds of fast or traditional food. You can go directly to the Clos Luce (last home of Leonard de Vinci) where you will find at the bottom of the charming park a brand new restaurant. The visit of the house and the park with its models of the inventions of the great man will take up to 2 hours (depending on how keen you are about technology). / Back to the town centreYou can stroll in old Amboise with / its troglodyte or half-timbered houses. Do not hesitate to make a tempting pause at Bigot, at teatime the chocolate is marvellous there. / Bigot is an institution amboisienne, it is the best chocolate maker in the area, their tearoom has a terrace overlooking the castle, just imagine But it is not / for the view and the terrace that we recommend Bigot to you, but that for the quality and the originality of their products If time allows /(and also your wallet) you can take a flight in the baloon with the setting sun, takeoff from Gold island, spetacular view of the castle, Amboise and the Loire Valley. During the summer months (July-August) you will / be able to view the son lumieres at the castle. You will discover there the characters who marked this place: Charles VIII, Louis XII, Francois 1st and Leonard de Vinci Sunday morning, don't miss the largest market of the department, which proposes an immense choice of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, all the seasonal products / and more. If time allows / for one weekend you can go to gold island or rent bicycles for a ride in the forest or in the vines. Three days in Amboise: With or without car you can go to visit some castles nearby. Buses or guides with cars will take / you to the sites. Chenonceau, unmissable is 15 minutes (by car) from the hotel, best to visit in the morning or at the end of the afternoon because of the crowds. Chaumont-on-Loire 15 minutes away and its festival of / gardens (from May to October every year) enables you to discover a feudal castle and forty different gardens all with a new theme each year. Surprise is guaranteed and the visit can be completed with a lunch inspired by the theme of the festival ( temporary restaurant le grand Velum) Valmer, at 15 minutes, for admiers of the kitchen garden, to discover forgotten vegetables or rare varieties /(mint chocolate, peppermint...). Bourdaisiere, at 15 minutes (/ Montlouis-on-Loire) for its park where currently (at the end of October 2005) you can admire an exhibition of aerial photographs / by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and a collection of more than 400 tomato species in a very pretty kitchen garden where you can stroll at will. For one week anything is possible: (car is strongly advised) Cheverny, at 45 minutes, where you can understand the mystery of Tintin,notably you will learn / why the Dupont brothers are not brothers... The pack of hunting dogs will impress you. Blois, at 30 minutes, other very beautiful royal castle, and also / very many shops for the shopping fans.. Chambord, at 45 minutes (by motorway), imposing castle and state residence / and its park where one crosses stags, hinds and wild boars (try not to miss the wail of the stag in the autumn). Azay-Le-Rideau and Chinon, at 30 minutes, one for its / fairy tale side and the other for its medieval splendour and its wine /. Tours, its old town, its cathedrals, its museums (of which that of the trade-guild for the masterpieces of the best workmen of France) and, of course its shops. For the gastronomists: not to be missed the chocolates maker Bigot in Amboise Hardouin delicatessen in Vouvray, Vouvray wine at Huet in Vouvray Touraine-Amboise wine at Plou with Amboise Choiseul, starred restaurant in the Michelin guide the list would be too long... For children and their families: In Amboise, on l'ile d'Or, a very nice playground for kids from 1 to 12, and the theme park of the mini castles. In Autreche, 10 minute/ drive, a beautiful game reserve allows you to you ride in the small train in the midst of the animals, and you can continue it by a lunch in the woods (ostrich steak and bison on the menu!). The Lulu park at Rochecorbon, 20 minutes away, allows a host of activities for all the family in a cordial environment. A guinguette will allow you to finish the day in an original way. For the more sporting on the road to Chaumont, at 15 minutes, Fantasy Forest, for exceptional activities such as accrobranching, kart, cannoying and mountain bike. A bit futher than Montrichard, / 40 minutes away, at the Zoo park of Beauval, you can spend the day in a luxuriant park in the middle of the animals. The animals are beautiful, there are even small white tigers (born in June 2005). Pushchair friendly and several playgrounds on the circuit. These are just a few of the possibilities offered to you in Touraine, do not hesitate to come to ask us... Checkout our reviews

14 juin 2005 endroit tres sympathique et accueil tres chaleureux. merci pour toutes les attentions Sylvie P. Quebec Canada. 12 aout 2005 les proprietaires ont changes mais tout est reste pareil. la gentillesse des gens et le confort. mercie et a bientot j'espere. Bon courage Alex M. 26 aout 2005 etape tres agreable: nous avons apprecie la gentillesse de nos hotes et la qualite des prestations. Un plus tout particulier pour la decoration des chambre et la salle des petits dejeuner famille D. Lyon. 11 septembre 2005 bonjour nous sommes des iles de la madeleine, quebec, canada, la ville est tout a fait charmante et l'hotel blason est tres bien et tres pittoresque, nous apprecions notre sejour ici merci X, Y et Z. Wonderful stay Aug 20, 2005: A anonymous visitorr, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia We had a wonderful 5 nights in Amboise staying at Le Blason. The location is perfect, the owner/managers friendly and helpful, breakfast not to be missed. Everything in Amboise is in walking distance form the hotel. We found Thomas (owner) to be happy to assit and great on advice about the area. Aslo helps that he speaks fluent English. He is up early to cook the most superb breakfast of breads and pastries. This should not be missed. The rooms are comfortable and very clean. Our room fortunately had air conditioning, however not all rooms are equipped, which would be rather uncomfortable during summer. Also great to have internet access at the hotel free of charge. We will certainly return if we are back in Amboise. Home Away From Home July 18, 2005: robsher@xxxxx.xxx, New Orleans, LA: Le Blason Hotel in Amboise was a highlight of our trip to France. Only its prices are Moderate. Its new (2005) owners, Thomas and Agnes Yung, gave us a warm reception and insightful advice (in good English) about the area unmatched by any other place we had ever stayed at any price in the U.S., England, Germany, Spain, or France. They described things we might have missed-- the local street of shops (like Paris; Rue Cler), a large Sunday morning market, a nearby Chateau;s International Gardening Show, the local bicycle race the night before the Tour de France came through town, and how to leave despite the crowds the day of the Tour. For our picnic on their patio, they chilled our wine and furnished utensils and a wine cooler. Parking is free on lots in front of the hotel, the next block, and an enclosed, partly covered area which is locked for the night. Thomas only offers breakfast, but he cooks the bread in the hotel each morning. Other meals are available in the excellent, reasonable L;Alliance Restaurant next door and other places in and near town. Le Cave aux Fouees on the outskirts of town was the best value, most atmospheric (in a troglodyte cave), and second best, moderately priced restaurant we found in France on his advice. Built in the 15th and 17th centuries, the hotel;s upper floors have half-timbered exteriors and exposed beam interior rooms. It is near Amboise;s churches, shops, Chateau, and Leonardo da Vinci;s Clos Luce, but blocks from busy shopping streets. The rooms are larger than we had in Paris and some are air-conditioned. The lobby has free internet access. We found Le Blason in Amboise the ideal base for visiting Loire Valley Chateaux by car--centrally located with easy access to highways with none of the traffic congestion, run-down old section, or parking problems we had elsewhere;with a warm, homey welcome, small town feel each day as we returned from our valley drives or hikes around town. Wondeful place July 12, 2005: Middlesbrough, England. We have stayed here in 2004 and 2005 and will go again in the future. It is ideally placed for the Loire, centrally located for local resturants and cafes and the owners give a very warm welcome. The car park is enclosed which is a major bonus with a small hotel. We have stayed in 4* hotels which are not as good as this one. You can also get free internet service there. The degustation outside the Chateau Amboise is very informative and as they speak excellent English the whole experience of sampling is good. Visit the Chateau, it's beautiful. Great location, great price August 17, 2004: Miami Springs, Florida We booked this hotel three months out on the Internet without a problem. ----------------. Very well located a few blocks from the city centre. Inexpensive. Free parking nearby. From the outside it looks as if it should be in an English village. It's impeccably clean with small but adequate rooms. Narrow winding stairs. No elevator. For guests who will be out most of the day, it's perfect. Pleasant proprietor. Regular breakfast. One of our best meals in France at the Oceanis Restaurant close by.