Viva La France!
This Summer the Boyfriend and I will be taking our travels and adventures to the States this Summer. Which I can not be more happy about! Looking foward to seeing home and being in an enviroment that I know very well and of course also looking foward to going shopping. On Mariahilfestraße on of my favorite stores has finally come to Vienna, Forever21. Just the problem is the same, money. The truth is I have a thing for finding clothes for dirt cheap so it is not normal for me to go shopping and buy whatever I find.
One thing I think we both are going to miss (my boyfriend and I) is our trip to France this Summer. Last year was our first vacation together and we went back to the tiny village I had lived in for a month the Summer before. This village is special for anyone who visits it. We have spent time the last two Summers and we are kindof sad that we won't visit again.
Lovely Amboise, France it is on a smaller scale compared to the surrounding castles in the Loire Valley. Pretty much within 2 days you have really seen everything. It is a cute location to visit but not many things to see. It is a little known fact but in Amboise and next to the Chateaux d'Amboise holds a small chapel in which holds the remains of Da Vinci himself. Da Vinci's house is a little walk up the street from the Chateaux and is a museum.
Amboise is located in the middle of Blois and Tours. It is in the Loire Valley which can be called Chateaux Valley as well considering there is a good amount of Chateaux concentraded there.
The Loire Valley is known to have a large amount of castels in the area, and also they are not so far away from each other, one thing I would reccomend highly if ever finding yourself in Amboise is to rent a bike and buy a map of where you can see the beautiful country and also see some of the Castles.
For me it is really hard to say that one specific Chateaux is one not to miss, since I wouldn't want to miss any of them. My personal opinion though I would have to say hands down my Favorite Chateaux would be Chambrod. I remember walking around inside and feeling like if I could get lost and never see the whole Chateux it was very big and just simply beautiful.
Chambrod is located North of Amboise in Blois.
When I first stayed in France I was an exchange student living with an elderly woman who I still see as my French Mother. She helped me out a lot when the airlines lost my one only checked bag. And her cooking? Don't get me started! My mouth waters just thinking about her cooking, she once made rabit that was wonderful, and it took me and my house mate about an hour to finish dinner. Next to the traditional French cuisine there was always a precourse, a salad, then after the actual meal...a cheese plater with atleast 3 different types of cheese and then to finish it all dessert. The suprising part is after eating as much as you dished out I actually lost about 10 pounds.
When we went back to Amboise last Summer we stayed in pretty much the cutest Hotel I have ever stayed in. We had a lovely room with a view of the garden, and the owners of the hotel are just wonderful people. Once when walking in around the afternoon when everyone of the guests were out exploring we found the owner Jerome watching T.V. on his laptop Ironing in the Breakfast room and singing/humming. It is really a homey feel but a bit nicer than home. They have lovely breakfast every morning most everything served is from the locals, like the honey and jams and breads! We enjoyed also sitting in the garden and playing some of the games they have available. La Breche Hotel is near the train station but for us was far enough away from the tracks to not hear the wistle. It is about a 10-15 minute walk in the center of the town and to be honest I would not stay in the center, it grew in its tourists last Summer. It is a big touristy area so I personally stay away from the area as much as I can.
Now if ever in Amboise I think both my boyfriend and I would reccomend you to grab a bite at Anne de Bretagne a small creperie with pretty much the best crepes we have ever eaten. It is certainly not as expensive as the other resturants but certainly not the cheapest but yet is the best. We made a reservation for every dinner and for the week we became regulars and even requested the same table outside with a lovely view of the whole town.
Amboise certainly is not big on night life, other than resturants most everything closes around dusk, and there is two places to get a drink in the late hours of the night. Le Shaker is the one with the best veiw. How can you miss out on that view. Not to mention a decent priced drink that comes served in flower vases! Le Shaker is not only one of the very few places open serving drink later than 11 but hands down has the best view so a word of advice go early since it tends to get packed.
Every Sunday in Amboise there is an outdoor market selling cheese, sausage, and pretty much the best Honey. Along with other items but since of last year I hate to say that tourism has boomed there and slightly ruined that feel it had two Summers ago. One nice thing though is it is the best place to find unique reigional food made by the locals!
Even though I have lived in Vienna for almost a year now, it has not yet captured my heart unlike Amboise. I still remember the 3 hour taxi ride from Paris to Amboise all the other exchange students from the States fell asleep in the taxi, I was in such awe with all the beauty. Close to the town are a lot of farms and fields filled with thousands of Sunflowers. Four things come to mind when I think of Amboise:
1) Chateuxes
2) Sunflowers
3) My French Mother's cooking
4) Never wanting to say good-bye
One thing I think we both are going to miss (my boyfriend and I) is our trip to France this Summer. Last year was our first vacation together and we went back to the tiny village I had lived in for a month the Summer before. This village is special for anyone who visits it. We have spent time the last two Summers and we are kindof sad that we won't visit again.
Amboise is located in the middle of Blois and Tours. It is in the Loire Valley which can be called Chateaux Valley as well considering there is a good amount of Chateaux concentraded there.
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| Cheverny another Chateaux in Blois 20 minutes from Chambrod. |
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| Me at Chambrod |
For me it is really hard to say that one specific Chateaux is one not to miss, since I wouldn't want to miss any of them. My personal opinion though I would have to say hands down my Favorite Chateaux would be Chambrod. I remember walking around inside and feeling like if I could get lost and never see the whole Chateux it was very big and just simply beautiful.
Chambrod is located North of Amboise in Blois.
 |
| One of the Bridges in Amboise at Sunset. |
When we went back to Amboise last Summer we stayed in pretty much the cutest Hotel I have ever stayed in. We had a lovely room with a view of the garden, and the owners of the hotel are just wonderful people. Once when walking in around the afternoon when everyone of the guests were out exploring we found the owner Jerome watching T.V. on his laptop Ironing in the Breakfast room and singing/humming. It is really a homey feel but a bit nicer than home. They have lovely breakfast every morning most everything served is from the locals, like the honey and jams and breads! We enjoyed also sitting in the garden and playing some of the games they have available. La Breche Hotel is near the train station but for us was far enough away from the tracks to not hear the wistle. It is about a 10-15 minute walk in the center of the town and to be honest I would not stay in the center, it grew in its tourists last Summer. It is a big touristy area so I personally stay away from the area as much as I can.
Now if ever in Amboise I think both my boyfriend and I would reccomend you to grab a bite at Anne de Bretagne a small creperie with pretty much the best crepes we have ever eaten. It is certainly not as expensive as the other resturants but certainly not the cheapest but yet is the best. We made a reservation for every dinner and for the week we became regulars and even requested the same table outside with a lovely view of the whole town.
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| View at night from Le Shaker. |
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| Yes, those glasses are flower vases! |
Every Sunday in Amboise there is an outdoor market selling cheese, sausage, and pretty much the best Honey. Along with other items but since of last year I hate to say that tourism has boomed there and slightly ruined that feel it had two Summers ago. One nice thing though is it is the best place to find unique reigional food made by the locals!
 |
| Down at the Loire enjoying lunch |
Even though I have lived in Vienna for almost a year now, it has not yet captured my heart unlike Amboise. I still remember the 3 hour taxi ride from Paris to Amboise all the other exchange students from the States fell asleep in the taxi, I was in such awe with all the beauty. Close to the town are a lot of farms and fields filled with thousands of Sunflowers. Four things come to mind when I think of Amboise:
1) Chateuxes
2) Sunflowers
3) My French Mother's cooking
4) Never wanting to say good-bye
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