Paris Travel Answers

ahh driving I presume, the best way to travel, and you are going to beautiful areas. I start backwards. The time on castles is entirely a personal choice, some folks like one or the other, spend more time on lesser castles and less time on better castles and so on... Chambord you can spend an entire day and Chenonceau a half day.more or less. Therefore in one day it will be very quick passing of two beautiful castles. You can see them but minimal in one day. I suggest just seeing Chambord this time, and you will be back.... The trip is very easy along good roads, good signage, you wont have a problem. Folks use www.viamichelin.com for route planning and a good area paper map to compare. easy route take the autoroute A10 from Paris periphérique porte de Gentilly on the A6 priximity of wissous you link up with the A10 or the autoroute d'Aquitaine continue until exit/sortie Mer - Chambord, then take the road D112 direction Chambord about 1h50minutes it takes about 2 hrs from Paris on the same A10 as above, but sortie/exit Blois or Amboise. To take back from Chambord to Chenonceaux (the town, the castle is spell Chenonceau) you will see more to continue on the D112 road south towards Soigne en Soulogne (road numbers change but its the same road) and take the road D122, than at Contres change to D30 but its same road, at Pontlevoy change left to road D764 direction Montrichard, here take D176 directon Chenonceaux. As is department roads ,they are slower than A=autoroutes roads, so the traject is about 2 hrs. the other ways is by more autoroutes and N national roads michelin gives in 1h15 but you see nothing. and from Chenonceaux to Nantes,nearer where I live, its longer...cant do it in one day. that is why I said just see Chambord and then get back on the autoroute to Nantes. Taking autoroutes and national takes over 3hrs trip. Hope it helps

Château de Chenonceau (http://www.chenonceau.com), a small castle, is a very popular tourist destination; it is crowded at all times, except the gardens on summer nights. Your enjoyment, especially if you are in a dash passing through, will be limited if you cannot spend time to deal with the crowd as you enjoy the castle and the grounds. Château de Chambord (http://www.chambord.org) is huge, both inside and out; the crowd never overwhelms as it does at Chenonceau. The staircase, designed by Leonardo da Vinci, is a wonderful and fun. Attempting to do justice to both with little time to spare is unfair to yourself. This is a vacation, after all. Take the pressure off yourself. Relax. I would choose one. Devote your time to only one of these castles; enjoy it fully. I would pick Chenonceau; it is such a picturesque setting, by the River Cher. The grounds are delightful. There is also more to see inside the castle, than there is at Chambord. I drove from our B&B near Amboise to Angers; the drive time in one direction was two hours. Nantes is still further west than Angers. Factor this into your time calculations. The Loire Valley is a beautiful region of France. Take time to enjoy it as it deserves.

Thank you so much for your advice. I hate to think that we won't have time to see both castles on this trip. We might just have to drive to one and take pictures from the outside instead of going in both. I appreciate your help!

yes like I say you can get a glimpse or small time on each, but will do no justice to neither, so enjoy one at the fullest ,and you will be back. Millions have cheers

If you plan to visit one and take outside photos of another, may I suggest taking outside photos of Chambord. The outside is quite dramatic. The inside is not particularly attractive nor well furnished so you won't miss much. Then use your visiting time for Chenonceau which is beautiful both inside and out. There are also lovely gardens. My favorite is the Medici Garden and it's smaller so would take less time. You are going to have a very long day but probably lots of fun. If you don't have a GPS, get a Michelin map or check http://www.viamichelin.com/ for written directions before you leave. Enjoy a beautiful part of France.