When travelers ask me where to stay in the Loire Valley, I tell them Amboise is the best home base for first-timers. It offers handy access to important châteaux such as Chenonceau, Blois ...

Dec. 20, 2013 Dec. 20, 2013 3 min read Save Out of gifts for the month ...

Five hundred years ago this fall, Leonardo da Vinci arrived in Amboise, a small town on France’s Loire River, bringing with him his three most famous paintings – “Mona Lisa,&#8221… ...

Château du Clos Lucé is just a stone’s throw away from Château d’Amboise, which sits nearly 300 feet high atop a hill overlooking the River Loire. You cross a charming medieval village ...

Read Hôtel Le Clos d'Amboise, Loire Valley, France hotel review on Telegraph Travel. See great photos, full ratings, facilities, expert advice and book the best hotel deals.

Read the Le Manoir Les Minimes, Amboise, Loire Valley, France hotel review on Telegraph Travel. See great photos, full ratings, facilities, expert advice and book the best hotel deals.

In the Loire Valley of France, the French Renaissance lives on in architecture such as this bridge, dating to the late 1500s, over the Cher River at the Château de Chenonceau.

A network of 500 miles of bike paths and relatively flat terrain makes the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the more bicycle-friendly destinations in Europe. ------------ ...

Commemorations for Leonardo da Vinci's 500th anniversary begin this week in Amboise, in the Loire Valley, with France and Italy setting aside recent tensions to honor the memory of the Renaissance ...