We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
Amboise or is Samur too far away.

what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
chateaux and cathedrals just fine.

steve

Steve C <[email protected]> wrote:

    >We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
    >drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
    >Amboise or is Samur too far away.
On the presumption that you mean Saumur, the answer is yes. It's not a
great distance, and the roads are easy to drive.

    >what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
    >chateaux and cathedrals just fine.
I particularly like Saumur, and yet I can't answer your question very
well. It's just that nice things seem to happen to us there. I like
the atmosphere.

The chateau looks very good, and it is enjoyable to stroll around it
for the views, but I didn't find the interior (which includes an
equestrian museum) especially interesting.

There is a Museum of armoured vehicles, but I'm not into military
stuff, so I haven't visited it.

Saumur is the base for the Cadre Noir, an equestrian corps now mainly
used for ceremonial purposes rather than cavalry charges. Visitable.

Wineries. Saumur is at the centre of the Anjou region, and you can
visit produces in the city, where they make a fairly decent sparkling
wine, and not far from Saumur you have the "aires" of Saumur-Champigny
and Bourgeuil.

Troglodyte dwellings -- but you can you see such in and near Amboise
also.

Between Amboise and Saumur you have lots of nice stuff -- you could
spend 2-3 days along and not far off the route -- Chinon, Ussé,
Fontevraud, Langeais, Azay-le-Rideau, and much else.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED
My travel writing: http://www.iol.ie/~draoi/

Steve C a écrit :

    > We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
    > drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
    > Amboise or is Samur too far away.
    > what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
    > chateaux and cathedrals just fine.
    > steve

http://www.saumur.fr ,

It is much preferable to have a car to visit the Loire castles.
For those who can't unfortunately drive, the not so dense regional
train system called TER allows nevertheless to visit a certain number
of them (from North to South on my TER-Centre map) : Chateaudun,
Meung-sur-Loire, Beaugency, Vendome (ruins), La Ferté-Saint-Aubin,
Menars, Blois, Amboise, Tours (+ Plessis-les-Tours), Cinq-Mars-la-Pile,
Saumur, Chenonceau, Montrichard, Saint-Aignan, Selles-sur-Cher,
Montbazon, Azay-le-Rideau, Valencay, Mehun-sur-Yèvre, Chinon, Loches,
Bridoré, Palluau.

But by train, it's virtually impossible to see more than 2 of them
the same day and some of them are outside the towns even if that's not
the majority.

http://www.ter-sncf.com/centre
Amboise - Tours (19 to 24 mn)
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/FW03-E05_tcm13-28117.pdf (3rd table),
then change to :
Tours - Saumur (30 to 50 mn)
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/FW28-E05_tcm13-28136.pdf

Didier Meurgues

Steve C a écrit :

    > We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
    > drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
    > Amboise or is Samur too far away.
    > what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
    > chateaux and cathedrals just fine.
    > steve

http://www.saumur.fr ,

It is much preferable to have a car to visit the Loire castles.
For those who can't unfortunately drive, the not so dense regional
train system called TER allows nevertheless to visit a certain number
of them (from North to South on my TER-Centre map) : Chateaudun,
Meung-sur-Loire, Beaugency, Vendome (ruins), La Ferté-Saint-Aubin,
Menars, Blois, Amboise, Tours (+ Plessis-les-Tours), Cinq-Mars-la-Pile,
Saumur, Chenonceau, Montrichard, Saint-Aignan, Selles-sur-Cher,
Montbazon, Azay-le-Rideau, Valencay, Mehun-sur-Yèvre, Chinon, Loches,
Bridoré, Palluau.

But by train, it's virtually impossible to see more than 2 of them
the same day and some of them are outside the towns even if that's not
the majority.

http://www.ter-sncf.com/centre
Amboise - Tours (19 to 24 mn)
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/FW03-E05_tcm13-28117.pdf (3rd table),
then change to :
Tours - Saumur (30 to 50 mn)
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/FW28-E05_tcm13-28136.pdf

Didier Meurgues

thanks for the replies. I have some good suggestions and now have an
itinerary I can work with.

steve

On Sun, 28 May 2006 22:03:22 -0600, Steve C <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
    >drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
    >Amboise or is Samur too far away.
    >what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
    >chateaux and cathedrals just fine.
    >steve

didier Meurgues a écrit :

    > Steve C a écrit :
    > > We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
    > > drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
    > > Amboise or is Samur too far away.
    > >
    > > what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
    > > chateaux and cathedrals just fine.
    > >
    > > steve
    > http://www.saumur.fr ,
    > It is much preferable to have a car to visit the Loire castles.
    > For those who can't unfortunately drive, the not so dense regional
    > train system called TER allows nevertheless to visit a certain number
    > of them (from North to South on my TER-Centre map) : Chateaudun,
    > Meung-sur-Loire, Beaugency, Vendome (ruins), La Ferté-Saint-Aubin,
    > Menars, Blois, Amboise, Tours (+ Plessis-les-Tours), Cinq-Mars-la-Pile,
    > Saumur, Chenonceau, Montrichard, Saint-Aignan, Selles-sur-Cher,
    > Montbazon, Azay-le-Rideau, Valencay, Mehun-sur-Yèvre, Chinon, Loches,
    > Bridoré, Palluau.
    > But by train, it's virtually impossible to see more than 2 of them
    > the same day and some of them are outside the towns even if that's not
    > the majority.
    > http://www.ter-sncf.com/centre
    > Amboise - Tours (19 to 24 mn)
    > http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/FW03-E05_tcm13-28117.pdf (3rd table),
    > then change to :
    > Tours - Saumur (30 to 50 mn)
    > http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/FW28-E05_tcm13-28136.pdf

Be carrefull, the trains circulation is precised by the commentaries
below each number of the first line.
Add Langeais to the list. But some are not open to the public.

    > Didier Meurgues

"Steve C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > thanks for the replies. I have some good suggestions and now have an
    > itinerary I can work with.
    > steve
    > On Sun, 28 May 2006 22:03:22 -0600, Steve C <[email protected]>
    > wrote:
    >>We plan to be in Amboise, France in mid-June. is it reasonable to
    >>drive to Samur from Amboise, see some sights, and return for dinner in
    >>Amboise or is Samur too far away.
    >>what sights in Samur do you think are the most enjoyable? we like
    >>chateaux and cathedrals just fine.
    >>steve
Just would like to add a recommendation for the Michelin Green Guide,
Chateaux of the Loire. It's a great resource for touring in this area.

GG