Amboise

Advantages: Pretty town, low priced accomodation great wine and food
Disadvantages: crowded in season

...I am a regular visitor to Europe and France in particular. Much of the country is interesting and some of the areas are fantastic. One such place, a days drive from the coast is Amboise on the River Loire. This pretty town is steeped in history and is certainly a first class base for visiting the central area of the Loire. I recommend the Hotel Lion d'Or which is right on the water front on the south side of the bridge which spans the river at this point. The hotel is one of the Logis de France group which means it is family run and not part of a major chain. Price for the room we stayed in was 320 Ff and an evening meal was 110 Ff. This is excellent value for money with first class service, in a beautiful hotel with all the old charm of a typical French hotel, it was spotless and the food was of the same high standard in...

Tramp 02.08.2000 · Read review
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Review of Loire Valley (France)

the king's view!!

Advantages: beautiful setting, very convenient
Disadvantages: a bit far from the center (by foot)

...This hotel is wonderful for families: **access** Not to difficult: on a hill above Amboise castle in the direction of the Mini-Chateaux park... **parking** Free of charge and closed at night **check-in** Warm and welcoming (especially Caroline and Chloe)... they explain quite correcctly the using pf the hotel and facilities (tennis [paying], park [free], swimming pool [free]) **Room** Novotel room: double bed plus sofa bed (extra bed), bathroom (with bath tube) ans toilets (separated), satellite TV channels, payTV, mini bar... **Restaurant** Very welcoming with beautiful panoramic view over amboise castle, nice cuisine both traditionnal and local... wonderful service ! **Break-fast** Buffet (with almost whatever you can wish: from fresh croissants and pains-au-chocolat to scrambled eggs and bacon, fresh fruits...

neasden 15.08.2006 (16.08.2006) · Read review
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Review of Novotel, Amboise

I'd Love A Hunting Lodge Like This

Advantages: A very impressive, historical location
Disadvantages: The audio guide isn't really worth the money

...The Loire Valley located in Central France is famous for its historical towns such as Blois and Amboise, however it is probably more famous for the famous Chateau?s. Perhaps the most famous of these would be the Chateau de Chambord. Designed in the French Renaissance style the Chateau is the best known within the region. The Chateau was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Francois 1st. Situated within 13,000 acre forest the setting for Chambord couldn?t be any more impressive. From your first view of the Chateau it is a truly magnificent building. Positioned on the side of an expanded River the Ford around the front of the Chateau adds to the overall impression of the Chateau. The front of the building looks exactly as you would expect a Chateau or Castle to look as it towers above everything in the area and really gives that...

Andy.mack 23.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Chateau de Chambord, Loir-et-Cher

You just walk, they do the hard work

Advantages: Hassle free, well organised
Disadvantages: Not cheap

...Sherpa do a range of walking and cycling holidays and as the name implies, you do the walking and they move your baggage for you. Their holidays cover Europe, East Africa, Morocco, Russia, South America and the Himalayas. Some are group tours and others you do on your own. We chose a self-guided tour of the Loire Valley, described by Sherpa as 'easy' (hey, there's lots of vineyards to try out, you can't combine tasting with too much walking). The price of the holiday includes plane/rail travel, transport of baggage each day to the next hotel and, in most cases, an evening meal. The walking holiday started in Amboise and ended in Saumur but we wanted to spend a few nights in Paris before our walk, have an extra night in Chinon, one of the towns half way and then finish off with a few nights in Tours after the walking. Booking was...

Phil_P 12.06.2002 · Read review
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Review of Sherpa Expeditions

~~A nonstop singular singing-dancing sensation~~

Advantages: A remake and inspirational production
Disadvantages: Nothing except that it is not showing in West End

...of the Opera'. Production and Cast: Choreography Re-staged (Baayork Lee), Director (Bob Avian), Sets (Robin Wagner), Costumes (Theoni V. Aldredge, Music (Marvin Hamlisch); and the main cast: Cassie (Charlotte d'Amboise), Zach (Michael Berresse), Diana (Natalie Cortez), Sheila (Deidre Goodwin), Paul (Jason Tam). 1976 Tony Awards: Actress (Musical) - Donna McKehnie; Book (musical) - James Kirkwood & Nicolas Dante; Choreographer - Michael Bennett and Bob Avian; Director (musical) - Michael Bennett; Featured Actor (musical) - Sammy Williams; Featured Actress (musical) - Carole Bishop; Lighting Designer - Tharon Musser. Current play dates in Broadway (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre) can be viewed at: http://www.playbill.com/events or http://www.achorusline.com/ Summary: Not to miss as one of the long-running American musical productions even shown in...

digitalenvironmentalist 13.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of A Chorus Line

Will they get those 'Sobbin Women'

Advantages: A good easy going family musical
Disadvantages: non that I can see

...they settle down happy ever after? You will have to watch the film to find out. ~~ The Cast ~~ Millie: is played by Jane Powell who is very petite, with a powerful voice, she plays a woman of amazing character and strength. Adam Pontippe: Howard Keel plays the arrogant eldest brother who marries Millie, his 6ft 4in frame towers above Millie's dainty 5ft, making him appear big and strong and making Millie appear small and feminine. ~~ The Brothers ~~ Benjamin: Jeff Richards, you will notice through the film that apart from Howard Keel he was the only one of the brothers that did not dance. Caleb: Matt Mattox he did some stunning gymnastics in the barn scene. Daniel: Mark Platt had a ballet training background. Ephraim: Jacques D'Amboise again came from a ballet trained background. Frank: Tommy Rall, like some...

arnoldhenryrufus 03.09.2006 · Read review
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Review of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (DVD)

Nice work

Advantages: Excellent food
Disadvantages: Lack of car park space

...that gets full the kitchen staff are hauled out to lose their cars somewhere so the guests can park. In fact, the poor kitchen staff have a torrid time here. You have to be careful as you turn into the car park that you don't flatten one of the lads as they make endless journeys from the kitchen to the cold store across the yard. Coming back one evening we found the main car park already full so made for the overflow across the road. There were three problems. Firstly I was driving. Secondly and thirdly was the combination of a narrow gateway to turn into and cars parked on both sides of the road so no room to get an angle on the gateway. By the time the traffic jam was threatening to reach Amboise I did what any sensible female does: bailed out and left Mr C to sort it out. I don't have even a nodding acquaintance with spatial...

Chouchinciao 04.04.2007 · Read review
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Review of Hotel le Bon-Laboureur, Chenonceaux

No Sobbin' for this Classic Movie

Advantages: The music, the dance numbers, cute story, great acting, wonderful effects (for 1954)
Disadvantages: Too bad most of this was filmed in a studio - Oregon is beautiful country!

...credited role!) was no stranger to good schmaltzy romance stories with dance and music. And while this film has its share of this, its hardly one that you?ll want to pooh-pooh for being overly sentimental. He achieved this by making the dance numbers as manly as possible. And with talents such as the acrobat and gymnast, Russ Tamblyn, the School of American Ballet trained Jacques d'Amboise and the often featured dancer Matt Mattox, there was no way that these dance numbers could ever be labeled as boring or girly. For instance, how could you call the number ?Lonesome Polecat? boring or girly when these men dance with such unique props as saws and axes! Of course, most of the credit for these dance numbers must go to the amazing work done by the well known choreographer, Michael Kidd (Guys & Dolls, L?il Abner, Hello Dolly!) who knew just...

TheChocolateLady 08.01.2003 (25.03.2005) · Read review
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Review of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (DVD)

  Valley of the Kings

Advantages: Chateaux and gardens, old towns and local cuisine
Disadvantages: Unexciting landscapes, well-trodden tourist trail

...than their fair share of character and historic monuments. * Notable Towns*: ~ ~ Amboise. A good place to start both alphabetically and historically, since it was here in the late 15th century that Louis XI and Charles VIII set the trend by enlarging and embellishing the ancient castle in the new Gothic-Renaissance style. In point of fact a lot of their work was subsequently undone by partial demolitions in the 17th century and during the revolution, but the core of the building still stands handsomely overlooking the narrow streets of the old town, with the French royal standard (gold fleur-de-lys on a blue ground) fluttering wistfully from its ramparts. There is an excellent street market to be found on the banks of the Loire on a Sunday morning. ~ Blois. Another superb royal chateau full of elaborate architectural detail...

torr 10.10.2005 (13.10.2005) · Read review
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Review of Loire Valley (France)

Loire Valley Experience

Advantages: Good food, good wine ,friendly people and great country.
Disadvantages: Lack of french

...never be enough as they nearly all have something different to offer. I would like to think that once you have visited you will want to return, so, what I can give is the benefit of my own Loire Valley Experience to suggest some itineraries that you can do at you own pace depending on the length of your stay. They take in the major chateaux as well as other attractions. Blois-Chaumont-sur-Loire-Amboise Bloise The Royal City of Blois sits proudly by the banks of the Loire with its skyline dominated by its cathedral and famous chateau. The city was the favoured stronghold of the kings of France for 100 years, with the chateau being the principle royal residence from when Louis XII established his court here in 1498 until Henry IV moved it to Paris in1598. Blois is the 'prefecture'(capital) of the department of Loire-et-Cher (which is...

jimpi 02.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of Loire Valley (France)