Trip Review: Ambient Amboise in the Loire Valley
Among the chateaus, the lovely city of Amboise is a perfect city to explore the quaint cobblestone streets in search of perfect cafes and delicious eclairs. Because we stayed in Amboise for our main base to explore the Loire Valley, we explored and dined throughout the city and it would be remiss if we did not mention this beautiful town.
Travel Tip: Here is our list of fun activities! Read our Loire Valley planning tips and tricks! Or, how we broke up the day by visiting the famous Chateau! Perhaps begin with more Loire Valley Wine??
Wine Evening in Amboise
On our first evening in our new French hometown, we walked to the famous Chez Bruno wine bar and cafe. Because we had a reservation, we had an excellent outdoor table with a fantastic view of Amboise church! Not only were we able to soak in the evening sun, we opened a fine bottle of Gamay Rose and relaxed!
For our main course, I had the simple pork tenderloin while MF felt adventurous and ordered the giant steak. Pictures describe the steak size better than words! In unsurprisingly fashion, she did not finish the steak! At least everything was really tasty!
To settle our stomachs after a big meal, we had an amazing stroll through the town. Unlike other cities, the entire city is the old town, filled with cobblestones and cute little houses.
Snails, for the win!
Fancy Amboise Dinner at Restaurant Les Arpents
Before our really fancy dinner at Les Arpents, we decided to have a quick eclair run at quickly our favorite bakery, L’Hortoge. Boy, did we need them ahead of this meal!
Lovely Bakery
As soon as we walked in, we realized the decor and menu was far out of our reach and not in line with our expectations. The menu was limited for a bigger group and we had few appetizer and main options.
Off the menu, I ordered the most appealing option, the white aparsagus with goat cheese, while MF ordered the hake with other fancy side dressings. While MF thought she ordered a normal sized hake, it was pretty small. Overall, the meal did not get off on a great start nor did it end well for us. Everything tasted great, but not what the doctor ordered today!
Number One Bakery - Boulangerie Patisserie Gauvreau
Bakery for days
In my many years of French bakery experience, I’ve learned the best time to go to the bakery or boulangerie is early in the morning. Particularly, if one wants a fresh baguette to snack on for the rest of the day! In Amboise, the cumulative research pointed to one bakery on the far side of town as the best bakery in the Amboise - Gauvreau.
Despite the long walk, it was entirely worth it! The window dressing was mouth watering and made me want to buy the entire store. With the warm, fresh bread and pastry smells wafting around me, the bakery sold me. More importantly, my fresh pain au chocolate and morning eclair is delectable!
Strolling through Amboise
Through the cobblestone streets and narrow alleys, with the smells of fresh pastries and other French delights, Amboise is perfect for a wander whether in the morning or evening. While the town may seem large, Amboise is perfect as we could not get lost! All streets eventually led to the river that we could easily take back to the main old town.
Similar to all French cities, Amboise has a bustling old town, complete with a stunning church and a royal chateau! The high street has a row of cafes, restaurants, and bars complete with fantastic views of the chateau and perfect for people watching! Not only did we stop at a great cafe, we were able to soak in the sun while participating in the classic French activity of people watching and long stays at a cafe.
Another Night at Chez Bruno
For our last main meal in the Loire Valley, we returned to the fantastic Chez Bruno Wine bar! Unlike our first time, we knew that we had to be prepared and come hungry! We had great seats outside and a fantastic view as the sun set.
For our appetizers, I ordered the infamous escargot because I wanted to ensure Amanda, Austin, and Mary Frances would all try snails while in France! They were full of butter and garlic so what could go wrong! Mary Frances also wanted to be original and ordered the French Onion Soup for the first time.
Despite our warnings, Austin and Amanda were up for a steak challenge! Both ordered the massive cut of meat and managed to nearly finish it! MF and I were very impressed especially compared to our servings. MF ordered the pork while I had the lamb shanks. While we were hungry, the food was exceptional and extremely tasty! Chez Bruno did not disappoint!
Amboise Sunset Overlook
On our way back to the car parked near Chateau du Clos Luce, we spotted a sign for a city overlook. Because we had to walk off a Chez Bruno dinner and we always have a sense of adventure, we decided to see sunset from the overlook.
While MF nearly killed me for the many stairs, the view was almost just as bad. To think I chose this overlook rather than the river… Regardless, it was a scenic orange sky as the night turned to dusk.
The UnChartered Summary
Nothing describes Amboise like Chez Bruno!
Amboise is a perfect base to explore the Loire Valley. Complete with two chateaux, Amboise offers a perfect mix of cafes and history!
- Check out Chez Bruno! It is a fabulous wine bar with excellent French cuisine!
- Either Chateau des Arpents or a cozy AirBnB in town will be magical.
- For the surrounding activities, Amboise is right in the middle of everything. While you may want to base yourself elsewhere for the rest of the trip, Amboise is definitely worth your trip.