Sign in with Facebook"Beautiful, historic Amboise" Amboise by Carmanah
Amboise Travel Guide: 128 reviews and 368 photos
Amboise, Indre-et-Loire, France
Location: 47° 24' North, 0° 59' West
Population: 11,457 (1999 Census)
Founded: as early as 504 AD
I visited Amboise with my high school class almost 12 years ago to the day. And while it has definitely been a long time, I still remember the time that I spent there quite fondly.
I remember that our tour bus parked across from the Loire, and we were free to go have lunch, as long as we stayed in groups of 3. It was a beautiful October afternoon with golden light shining down on the town, and there was a wonderful fresh smell in the air.
I recall being with my friends Rachel and Meaghan as we scoured the main streets of Amboise for a bite to eat. I recall going into a boulangerie to order a sausage roll and a "pain au chocolat" (a chocolate-filled croissant). I remember pronouncing "pain" (which means "bread") like how one would say in English, which confused the shopkeeper. She corrected me by pronouncing it like "pan" and then asked if I'd like un "pan au chocolat?" of which I probably sheepishly nodded, "oui".
After eating, we set out to purchase souvenirs, as we had only arrived in France the day before. There were souvenir shops selling postcards, so we all bought a few to send home.
Later on after lunch we joined back up together as a class and wandered up the road to Leonardo da Vinci's "Clos Lucé". It was there where we spent several hours. I remember exploring the gardens with friends, playing around and just generally enjoying ourselves.
We had a really neat mix during this trip, because some of us were in grade 9 while others were in grade 10. Prior to this trip, the grade 9's and the grade 10's never really socialized together, although we ended up getting along really well. It was also a great way to enjoy the company of eachother outside of the classroom environment.
Of course, being a teenager surrounded by my peers in a new environment like France was simply exciting! There was definitely something going on in Amboise that day that I can't quite put my finger on. It was likely a mix of the fresh autumn air, the beauty of the town, and a little bit of a secret teenage crush developing! Perhaps that's why I have such fond memories of Amboise?
- Pros:Home to the Clos Lucé of da Vinci. Within a short drive from Paris, you're somewhere that is totally NOT like Paris - you're in the Loire Valley!
- In a nutshell:Quaint and picturesque small-town France
Reviews (3)
Amboise - a gorgeous town on the Loire
Favorites
(2)
One of my fondest memories is walking through the streets and alleys of Amboise, buying postcards from the souvenir... more travel advice
Nostalgia for Amboise
Favorites
(2)
My favourite part of Amboise was being able to visit the Clos Lucé, although a lot of it had to do with being with the... more travel advice
Château du Clos Lucé, Parc Leondardo da...
Things to Do
(1)
If you're going to Amboise, I think the number one must see is the Château du Clos Lucé and the Parc Leonardo da Vinci.... more travel advice
Have you been to Amboise? Share your travels with the world!
Carmanah's Related Pages
Amboise Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "Charming City and Chateau"
- "Amboise - a Chateaux Town"
- "Amboise: A Civilized Place"
- "The Lovely Loire Valley"
- "Amboise"
- "In the heart of the Garden of France"
- "Amboise . . . Star of the Loire"
- See All...
Explore the World
- Member Rank:
- 0 0 4 4 4
- Forum Rank:
- 0 0 5 1 2
- 937 Reviews
- 1,954 Photos
- Add Friend
- Follow
- Send Message
Badges & Stats in Amboise
- 3 Reviews
- 7 Photos
- 0 Forum posts
- 4 Comments
- 740PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (18)
Have you been to Amboise?
Share Your TravelsLatest Activity in Amboise
- Posted in Travel Vancouver Forum "Re: Canadian Crafts shops on..."
- updated a Amboise Travel Page "Beautiful, historic Amboise"
- Uploaded a Photo to "Château du Clos Lucé, Parc Leondardo da Vinci"
- Wrote a Review Amboise - a gorgeous town on the Loire in Amboise Favorites
- Commented on one of Helga67's Amboise travel pages
Photos in Amboise
See All Photos (7)
Top 10 Pages
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Vancouver
Intro, 238 reviews, 390 photos, 5 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Steveston
Intro, 54 reviews, 151 photos, 5 travelogues
-
Victoria
Intro, 59 reviews, 134 photos, 5 travelogues
-
Montreal
Intro, 39 reviews, 75 photos, 4 travelogues
-
Canada
Intro, 31 reviews, 77 photos, 3 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Tofino
Intro, 11 reviews, 61 photos, 5 travelogues
-
Boston
Intro, 26 reviews, 45 photos, 2 travelogues
-
Ottawa
Intro, 22 reviews, 45 photos, 3 travelogues
-
London
Intro, 11 reviews, 49 photos, 2 travelogues
-
Puerto Vallarta
Intro, 27 reviews, 32 photos, 1 travelogue
Friends
See All Friends (83)
Food and Dining
Eco-Tourism
BeachesLatest Amboise hotel reviews
- Chateau de Perreux Amboise
- 13 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Feb 2, 2013 - Le Vieux Manoir
- 164 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 13, 2013 - Hotel Le Manoir les Minimes
- 375 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 6, 2013 - Auberge Forestiere De Marcheroux
- 22 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 28, 2013 - Le Fleuray Hotel & Restaurant
- 162 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 13, 2013 - Hotel Le Blason
- 90 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 17, 2013 - Best Western Le Vinci Loire Valley
- 93 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 1, 2013 - Auberge de Launay
- 87 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 17, 2013 - Hotel La Breche Amboise
- 77 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 15, 2013 - Le Clos d'Amboise
- 110 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 7, 2013 - Ibis Amboise
- 38 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Nov 16, 2012 - Domaine de l'Arbrelle
- 22 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 14, 2013
Comments (3)
Robyn, I liked reading your nostalgia page! You definitely have a gift of exciting writing ! ~o~
I would do it for 600 golden ucus. Barry in Louisiana (disaster area)
Amboise definitely is my very favourite town in the Loire Valley and the Clos Lucé is the most fascinating place I have visited! Great little page, thanks for sharing!