The Loire Valley in France is known for the Chateaus within the region and the small commune’s along the Loire River like the town of Amboise. Within central Loire Valley, Amboise offers some of the top sites of the area including the 15th Century home of King Charles VIII, Chateau d’Amboise and the last home and tomb of famed artist Leonardo da Vinci at Clos Lucé.
The beautiful streets are dotted with medieval timbered homes, cathedrals and shoppes with the Royal Chateau overlooking. But visiting the Loire Valley is not just for the Chateau, the region is well known for its wine and gastronomy that can be found within and around the city.
As you will find throughout France, there are many options for dining experiences within Amboise. Here are some recommendations for dining experiences in and around the “Royal City” of Amboise:
L’Ecluse
While visiting Amboise and the Royal Chateau, you will want to stop in for lunch or dinner at this farm to table local restaurant that is just a quick 3 minute walk. Featuring the best locally sourced products one can enjoy dining in the intimate and modern dining room or on the grassed terrace for a relaxing dining experience.
Serving authentic French cuisine sourced daily from local suppliers, the menu will regularly change with seasons. Expect to enjoy seasonal fruits, cheeses, meats, handcrafted breads and pastries.
The menu offers various options with appetizer, main course and dessert or an additional cheese option both for lunch and dinner. L’Ecluse welcomes guests Tuesday – Saturday for lunch from noon – 1:30pm and 6:30 – 7:30pm for dinner, reservations are recommended.
The House Bigot
A popular location within the old town is The House Bigot. Also a stones throw from the royal Chateau a local chocolatier, patisserie and glacier (ice cream) house that has been serving since 1913.
Established and well known for 50 years as a bakery, for its breads, in the early 1970’s a tea room was added and so launched La Maison Bigot into the chocolate making business. It was not unexpected when the popular French ice cream (glacier) was added to the menu.
Serving daily house pastries, donuts, eclairs and traditional local favorites from house recipes older than the shop itself. The chocolates are made using 100% pure cocoa to create seasonal treats, ganaches, pralines and local favorites like Amboisine which is made with almonds, chestnuts and hazelnut crushed into a paste and rolled in chocolate. If those don’t suit you, then the house crafted glaciers made with pure and local ingredients will treat you to enjoyable frozen dessert.
If you need a break after exploring the town, you can enjoy the fare from the traditional bakery within their tea room or on the terrace offering views of the nearby castle. Also serving breakfast and lunch, a stop in is a great way to start off your day in Amboise.
Chateau du Pray
Just a quick 5 minute drive along the Loire river on the south bank, surrounded by chateaux you will reach Chateau du Pray. A 13th Century chateau that sits on 5 acres of wooded beauty overlooking the river Loire. Featuring French gardens, the medieval chateau has been converted into a hotel featuring a Michelin rated restaurant, L’Orangerie.
The restaurant offers chef designed seasonal menus, each dish is a piece of art, custom created for the guest and delivered to their table to accompany the locally featured wines to pair for a culinary journey.
For an added treat, spend the night enjoying one of the 15 castle rooms of the family owned chateau with historic accommodations in an intimate boutique hotel and enjoy the night as the royals did hundreds of years ago while overlooking the beautiful Loire river.
Chateau du Petit Thouars
For a more unique experience, about an hour and fifteen minutes west of Amboise between Amboise and Angers, along the River Loire, you will find the family owned Chateau du Petit Thouars. A 17th century chateau and winery offering local experiences that will fulfill both romantic and gastronomic desires.
For the gastronomic experience, Chateau du Petit Thouars has almost 40 acres of vineyards featuring vins that range from free run juice aged in stainless steel vats to pressed wines aged for up to 24 months on oak. You can enjoy a visit to the cellar with a tour of the Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc vineyards along with a tasting of their award winning vintages. For the complete epicurean discovery, wine pairings are available to enjoy the wines with locally sourced products. .
For a romantic experience, you can extend your wine experience by enjoying your favorite wine relaxing within the Cabernet Franc vineyards with a custom prepared picnic lunch including some locally sourced seasonal specialties and a private view of the Loire Valley countryside. Or extend your stay at the 4 bedroom farmhouse surrounded by the vineyards for a relaxing stay within the grounds of the vineyard.
The Loire Valley known as the “Gardens of France” is just 2 hours from the city of Paris and offers a fantastic extension for additional time immersing in the beauty and history of the region. Explore some of the 1000+ chateaux that live there, or indulge in a fantastic wine experience sampling the grapes and terroir of the local Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc vines that are found throughout the central Loire Valley region. Discover our choices for Chateau to visit in the Loire Valley from the link.
You can also combine your visit with a 7 night river cruise along the nearby Garonne and Dordogne rivers in Bordeaux. For more information on river cruising through France or Central Europe check out the BucketList Travel Advisors website.