An exceptional location
IN AMBOISE
In Amboise, a small town where history is still alive, La Maison Rabelais blends the past and the present. Its central location is ideal for excursions into castle country.
Near Tours, on the banks of the Loire, in a valley through which queens and kings have passed, our hotel offers you the opportunity to plan a stay rich in discovery.
The neighborhood
Our hotel is located in a quiet side street, just a 5-minute walk from the center of Amboise.
Situated on the banks of the Loire, the town owes its renown to the Château d'Amboise which dominates it, the Horloge tower, the church of Saint-Denis, the Château du Clos Lucé where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died, the royal estate of Château-Gaillard built by Charles VIII in 1496 (whose gardens were laid out by Pacello da Mercogliano) and the Chanteloup pagoda.
How to get to La Maison Rabelais ?
BY CAR
Take the A85 freeway.
A secure private parking lot with 20 spaces is available at the foot of the Maison Rabelais.
It has 2 charging stations for electric cars.
BY PLANE
Tours - Val de Loire airport.
Streetcar A Vaucanson stop Tours station, TER direction Orléans stop Amboise - 1h25
By car - 30 min
BY BIKE
La Loire à vélo : https://www.loireavelo.fr
- 2 minutes by bike from the hotel.
For your convenience, bike parking is available at the foot of the Maison Rabelais.
BY TRAIN
Amboise train station
- 25 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by car from the hotel.
Things to do around the hotel
Located in the heart of the pretty town of Amboise, La Maison Rabelais is ideally situated for a cultural getaway. Our team will be delighted to suggest a few activities to enhance your stay :
Beauval Zoo
ZooParc de Beauval is one of the world's most beautiful zoos. Located in Saint-Aignan, it is home to over 35,000 animals, some of which are unique in France, such as giant pandas, koalas and many others.
Much more than a park, Zoo de Beauval is a real world in miniature. Each area of the park has its own animal kingdom! Here, you can cross the world in an instant.
– 45 minutes drive from the hotel
The Loire by bike
800 km of cycle paths winding along the majestic Loire... This is the magnificent route of La Loire à Vélo, which crosses one of France's most splendid regions, following the course of the river from Cuffy in the Cher department to the Atlantic Ocean.
Along the way, you'll discover breathtaking views of the river, as well as the famous Loire castles, picturesque villages, unspoilt natural areas, and wine and gastronomic delights worthy of Rabelais, a native of the region.
- track 2 minutes from the hotel.
Prestigious châteaux
The castles of the Loire Valley are architecturally unique in that most of them were rebuilt or extensively remodeled in the 15th and 16th centuries, at a time when the court of the kings of France was located in this region or its immediate surroundings.
- Near Amboise :
- Chenonceau - 15 minutes drive from the hotel
- Loches - 37 minutes drive from the hotel
- Villandry - 45 minutes drive from the hotel
- Chambord - 55 minutes drive from the hotel
Le Clos-Lucé, home of Leonardo da Vinci
Originally conceived in 1471 as an ancient fief under the castle of Amboise, Château du Clos-Lucé passed through several hands before being purchased by Charles VIII and becoming a summer residence for the kings of France. It retained this function until 1516, when Francis I placed it at the disposal of Leonardo da Vinci, who lived there for three years, until his death on May 2, 1519.
Today, the Château du Clos Lucé is a place of interpretation, knowledge and synthesis, designed to enable the widest possible audience to discover the world of Leonardo da Vinci.
- 7 minutes by car from the hotel.
The beautiful city of Tours
Tours is a city of art and history, with its Vieux-Tours district a remarkable heritage site. The historic city, nicknamed Le Petit Paris, has always been the birthplace or home of numerous personalities and international sporting events.
Tours is also renowned for its culinary specialties : rillettes, rillons, Touraine vineyards, AOC Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine cheeses and nougats.
– 30 minutes by car from the hôtel
