Tours and Tickets to Experience Amboise

There are plenty of ways to experience Amboise. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Loire Valley Wine and Castles Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

• Hot-Air Balloon Ride over the Loire Valley, from Amboise or Chenonceau

• Caves Ambacia, Tour and Wine Tasting in Amboise, Loire Valley

• Day Tour of Chateaux of Chenonceau, Chambord & Caves Ambacia from Tours/Amboise

• Loire Valley Castles Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

Amboise is a town, and visiting is free. While you can go on your own if you arrange transportation privately, you may find it easier to visit on a Loire Valley tour. Small-group tours from Paris typically run between US$280 and US$400 per person, and include transportation and guide services.

Amboise is best known for its architecture, most notably its pretty timbered houses and the massive Château d'Amboise. The city is also home to the Clos Lucé, which was Leonardo da Vinci's final home, and the Pagode de Chanteloup, a Chinese-style pagoda dating to 1775.

Château d’Amboise is the main draw for castle lovers coming to Amboise, but many people visit the city as part of a larger, multi-castle tour. Other castles in the area include Château de Chenonceau, Château de Nitray, Château de la Ménaudière, and Château de Loches.

The easiest way to get to Amboise from Paris is to join a day tour of the Loire Valley, many of which include transportation. You can also rent a car and drive yourself or take a train to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and then switch to a different train to the Amboise station, about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the castle.

Spring may be the best time of year to visit Amboise, when the weather is lovely and gardens are in bloom. Summer is also a great time, with minimal chance of rain, but you should expect crowds. Early fall provides a good alternative with fewer visitors, especially on weekdays.