A Place to Visit: Amboise

If Chambord is the show-off cousin who can’t stop flexing his towers, Amboise is the charming older sibling who knows all the stories and pours you another glass while telling them.

Amboise sits on a wide bend of the Loire, with a château looming overhead and a market that spills along the river every Friday and Sunday. The town itself is enchanting, made for tourists and shopping. It's full of charming, photo-ready corners that make you stop and pull out your phone whether you mean to or not. 

There’s plenty of bustle, but it never crosses into pushy. And crossing the bridge toward the castle at sunset, the whole town looks like it’s been staged by a painter showing off.

And then there’s the history. Amboise has not one, but two castles:

Château Royal d’Amboise, once home to French kings, now the resting place of Leonardo da Vinci.

Clos Lucé, da Vinci’s final residence, complete with models of his wildest inventions.

You can walk through centuries in the morning, then be sitting in front of a burger at La Planque by dinner. (Yes, some of the best burgers in the Loire are in château country.) Other standouts:

Restaurant Les Arpents — creative, modern French cooking with real depth.

Chez Bruno — right on the gorgeous but touristy strip outside the main château. In a sea of tourist traps, this one actually delivers.

Bigot — for chocolate, pastries, and coffee in the heart of town.

And if you’re us, every trip to Amboise requires a stop at The Treasures of Amboise, right next to the train station. D loves rummaging through the usual French bric-a-brac, and while plenty of it is just for fun, we’ve walked out of there with some genuine steals.

The first time we ever even learned about Amboise was through Naomi’s place. I mean really, a town like this and we had never heard of it? That probably says more about us than about Amboise. We stayed at her Clos Lussault property just outside of town, back Naomi herself is a fellow American who has been living her French dream for more than 25 years. She curates several properties in the area. Some troglodyte-style, some not, all well-appointed and full of charm. Later, we spent six magical weeks at her Songbird Sanctuary near Chenonceau while waiting for our sale to close. More than her houses, it’s Naomi herself — warm, kind, generous — that makes staying with her special.

So yes, Amboise is worth your time. Come for the castles and the market. Stay for the burgers, the wine, and if you’re lucky, Naomi.

Would I visit if I were you? For sure. But the truth is, I get to go there often. And one of the great treats for me is bringing guests to see such an amazing little town.