Hi I%26#39;ve narrowed down our choices to stay for 3 days at the end of August but need some help please.
Originally I was looking at Blois but I just can%26#39;t seem to find anywhere that inspired me.
Then I read about Le Manoir Les Minimes in Amboise, and also La Roseraie in Chenonceaux. Both get great TA reviews. We don%26#39;t mind splurging extra on Les Minimes for a treat.
However from reading as many posts as I can, I understand that Amboise is not the ideal place to stay in August.
So in August is Chenonceaux likely to be lively at night or dead quiet? Or on the other hand will we be fighting for a seat at a restaurant in Amboise?
We will be out and about during the day so I am not particularly worried about day time.
Any advice would be appreciated! My husband and I like to stay at places we will have happy memories from.
Thanks!
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Chenonceau is a very small town, very quiet at night.
The Bon Laboureur [#2 on TA] is a good hotel with an excellent restaurant--a good dinner choice if you don%26#39;t choose to stay there. Also in Chenonceau you are fairly close to Le Cheval Blanc in Blere, the best restaurant in the area.
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Chenonceaux will still seem quiet in August, it is a small village in a rural area. La Roseraie is excellent with great food and lovely owners.It virtually backs on tothe grounds of the chateau. The reviews on T/A are almost all positive as I can back that up from experience.
Have a look a this one (I have reviewed it on my T/A) - Auberge de Launay just outside Amboise (about 2 miles on the north side of the river).
Superb place and incredible value especially at half board. No need to worry about finding a restaurant as you will want to eat here every night!
tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g659457-d563…
We have had great stays at both of these and both are idealy based to tour the area.
Neal
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Thanks for that. What is meant by half board? Is that dinner included?
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Breakfast and Dinner included but no lunch.
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Jane - sorry about that it%26#39;s a bit of a North English expression.
Demi-Pension is what you will see on websites etc.. in France.
At the place I have mentioned (and this is the general rule), you get 2 or 3 choices only for each course rather than a full a la carte selection. Some places offer a totally set menu with no choice so it is best to check if you are not feeling too adventurous!!
Have a great trip
Neal
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Exactly, Chenonceaux village is very quiet, so you may get bored if you don%26#39;t have a car and want to meet people or have a drink.
But Amboise is a lovely small city, with the Amboise castle and the Clos-Lucé, last resting place of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Chenonceau and Amboise are not very far from each other, about 20 minutes driving.
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Thanks so much everyone and Neal for your restaurant tips! Well now I%26#39;m starting to change my Libran mind. I%26#39;m now thinking we should stay at Chateau des Ormeaux as Neal%26#39;s enticing description of the two restaurants has got me thinking that we will need to drive to get to them anyway and they%26#39;re not in Amboise where Le Manoir Les Minimes is.
I have just read the reviews. The restaurant at Auberge de Launay sounds terrific. Would it be worth the trouble to stay 2 nights at Chateau des Ormeaux and the 3rd night at Auberge de Launay so we could go to the restaurant and not have to drive back to Chateau des Ormeaux?
I have not much of an idea what the driving/roads would be like at night and don%26#39;t want to be driving too far.
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Jane
The distances are not far at all, only around 10/15mins really. It will be very dark though by the time you are heading back so remember it is a rural area you will drive through so if that sort of journey would detract from the meal you have just enjoyed you need to consider that. Roads will be quiet late at night though so it shouldn%26#39;t be a problem.
If you look at my postings you can probably tell that wine and food play a large part in our travels to France. We tend to look for an excellent restaurant that has rooms rather than a great hotel that provides food. Personally I don%26#39;t want to drive after an evening meal - I would rather enjoy some wine with a good meal and then relax and walk to our room.
So it depends on your priorities - the place you are looking at seems wonderful but presumably you will have to drive out to eat. As the places are so close and standards of accomodation may be higher on your priorities then if you are happy to drive then I would stay put in one location.
La Roseraie has more characterful accomodation of the 2 I have mentioned by the way. Pay a bit extra for one of the larger rooms if you consider this one. Launay is very much a restaurant with rooms - they are more than adequate for a 2 or 3 night stay though.
Hope that helps rather than make you think too much!! Whatever you decide you will enjoy this region.
Neal
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Hi Neal. Being our first time in France I guess I am looking for somewhere particularly nice to stay and a chateau is tempting and we probably won%26#39;t have a chance to do that again.
Your comments have been very helpful and has given me a good insight on what to expect. I will probably put a reservation on C des O and I will also have another look at La Roseraie too as a backup.
Best wishes and thanks - Jane
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