Would you like to visit the Loire Valley and wonder where to go: Amboise or Blois?
We love both destinations. The choice is difficult, but we're here to help you with our opinions on specific criteria.
Here's our Amboise vs Blois battle with tips and photos.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Amboise or Blois: quick response
Amboise and Tours are two charming towns in the Loire Valley. Amboise boasts an impressive royal château and Leonardo da Vinci's home in the town, as well as numerous charming accommodations. This is a city of tourism. Blois offers a more imposing château, a lively city center and a town inhabited by locals. The choice depends on your preferences: intimate charm in Amboise or urban dynamism in Blois.
Access + location
Location and access by car
The two towns are close to each other. They provide easy access to the same castles and attractions.
Both towns are easy to reach by car. Here's some road time:
- Tours to Amboise: 30 min
- Amboise to Blois: 35 min
- Paris to Amboise: 2h30
- Paris to Blois: 2h10
And a map to help you find your way:
Access
Both cities are easily accessible by train.
- From Paris, direct train to Blois (1h30)
- From Paris, direct train to Amboise (1h45)
- From Tours, direct train to Amboise (33min)
- From Tours, direct train to Blois (40min)
See the available schedules and book your train tickets now.
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
City atmosphere
Amboise atmosphere
Amboise offers a unique and charming atmosphere, combining history and dynamism. The town has a lively, festive and touristy atmosphere. It's not too big, and easy to explore. The Royal Château d'Amboise, at the heart of the town, contributes greatly to this magical atmosphere, and the medieval streets are an invitation to stroll.
It's a friendly place, and despite the tourist crowds, Amboise retains its small-town charm on the banks of the Loire.
Atmosphere in Blois
Blois also offers an elegant, historic atmosphere. The town is built into the hillside, with picturesque lanes, staircases and panoramic views. Charming. However, this makes the city a little harder to explore.
Take a stroll and you'll discover half-timbered houses and townhouses, as well as the impressive castle in the center of town.
We particularly like the views from the banks of the Loire.
Blois is less tourist-oriented than Amboise.
Our review
We love the charm of the town of Blois, but as it's a bigger town with locals going to work, it's a bit more stressful than Amboise. We choose Amboise.
Nearby Loire castles
Amboise and Blois are just a 30-minute drive apart.
They provide easy access to the same castles.
Amboise is closer to Chenonceaux and Blois is closer to Chambord. These are the two best-known châteaux in the Loire Valley.
Blois has a château in the town itself, and Amboise has 3. We'll take a look at them in the attraction section below.
The main castles in the region include:
Chenonceau Castle
One of the best known, very elegant
>> Book your tickets
Chaumont-sur-Loire Castle
With its park and modern gardens
>> Book your tickets
Chambord Castle
The most imposing of the Loire castles
>> Book your tickets
Castle of Cheverny
Known for the world of Tintin and its magnificent park
>> Book your tickets
However, Amboise is more centrally located if you also want to discover the castles to the west of Tours, such as Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau, Chinon...
See our article on the most beautiful châteaux around Amboise with photos and tips.
Hotels: Amboise vs Blois
Hotels in Amboise
The hotel offer in Amboise is a little different. The city is smaller.
You'll find plenty of accommodation in historic sites.
The advantage is that you can choose to stay in the city center or in the surrounding countryside, without ever being far from the city.
Here are some of our favorite hotels:
Hôtel Château de Perreux, surrounded by 5 hectares of wooded parkland
See photos, prices and availability
Hôtel Le Manoir Saint-Thomas, centrally located with swimming pool
See photos, prices and availability
5-star Hôtel Le Manoir Les Minimes, overlooking the Château d'Amboise.
See photos, prices and availability
For more ideas, read our article on the best hotels in Amboise.
Hotels in Blois
We're less convinced by the hotels in Blois.
But here you'll find one of the Loire Valley's finest 5-star hotels: the Fleur de Loire Hotel.
See prices, pictures and availability
For more ideas, read our article on the best hotels in Blois.
A LITTLE MORE patience
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Attractions, museums and monuments
Amboise Attractions
Amboise's main attractions are:
- Visit the Château d'Amboise and admire the views over the town
- Discover Leonardo da Vinci's inventions at Le Clos-Lucé
- Strolling along the Loire
- Travelling to Italy at Château Gaillard
- Feel like a giant at the miniature castle park
- …
Find out more in our article on Amboise's top attractions.
Attractions in Blois
Blois' main attractions are:
- Discover the incredible furniture collection at Château de Blois
- Stroll along the banks of the Loire with magnificent panoramic views
- Explore the narrow streets and half-timbered houses
- Marvel at the Museum of Magic
- Admire the view from the cathedral garden
- ...
Find out more in our article on the best attractions in Blois.
Most beautiful villages nearby
With the two towns so close together, you have access to much the same villages in the Loire Valley. Here are some of the closest:
Chédigny
The garden village known for its rosebushes along the main road
40 min from Tours, 1 h from Amboise
Crissay-sur-Manse
Off the beaten track, with some beautiful buildings and a very pleasant calm.
40 min from Tours, 1h from Amboise
Lavardin
a trip back to medieval times, with castle ruins and a fascinating church.
50 min from Tours, 45 min from Amboise
Montrésor
The most beautiful village in the Loire Valley, in our opinion, with a small château.
1h from Tours, 45 min from Amboise
Candes-Saint-Martin and Monsoreau
Elegant villages on the banks of the Loire
50 min from Tours and 1h10 from Amboise
See the full list in our article on the most beautiful villages near Blois.
Best gastronomic offer
Restaurants in Amboise
Amboise is a mix of restaurants for tourists and very good French and regional gastronomy.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant BERTHELOT in La Brèche, a gourmet restaurant that will surprise your taste buds
- Restaurant Les Arpents, for a poetic moment full of freshness
- Restaurant Bigot, an ice cream parlour for your afternoon snack
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Amboise.
Restaurants in Blois
The range of restaurants in Blois is interesting, with several gastronomic and bistronomic options, and very good French cuisine.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Amour Blanc restaurant at the Hôtel Fleur de Loire, gourmet dining
- Restaurant La Botte d'Asperges, with highly creative cuisine
- Restaurant Au Rendez-Vous des Pêcheurs, for lovers of fish (and light).
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Blois.
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Easy to get around these cities
Amboise is a small town, so it's easy to get in and out and explore the region.
In the city of Blois, you'll experience some traffic jams and it will take a little time to get out of the city to visit the castles and villages (depending on where your accommodation is).
And why not other cities/regions?
Along the Loire, you'll find other great places to stay, including Saumur, Blois and Angers.
See our list of the most beautiful towns on the Loire.
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
Other places to explore
Practice
