A Tour de France by two New England couples

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 01/28/12

8 months after an incredible 4 week tour of France (Paris, Normandy, Lourdes, Provence and Loire Valley) we are still talking about what a wonderful time we had. So it is time for a review of our wonderful accommodations. The Loire Valley was our last week and our hostess, Chantal, who lives just around the corner from the "Blue Door", was most charming and helpful. The 2BR apartment we rented from her was right on the Loire River and looked directly across from the Amboise Chateau--spectacular. We found this apartment to be absoutely perfect for us and you could walk across the bridge into the charming city of Amboise. Besides its proximity to restaurants and shopping in the city, it was a perfect location for visiting all of the famous Chateaus in the Loire Valley. We would definitely come back here.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Three Glorious Days

Guest: Richard (Long Beach, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

We had only a brief time in Amboise but wanted to make the most of it. We stayed in the ground floor flat - me, my wife, and our two kids (9 and 4) and it still felt spacious. VRBO ads can - to be gracious - highlight only the positive features while the downsides are left for you to find out for yourself. With Chantal there is no downside. The rate is very reasonable. The pictures don't do justice to the exquisite scenery or the perfect locale. The description can't possibly match the perfect appointments of the apartment. Words on the screen can't communicate how truly lovely Chantal is! It was too cold to enjoy bicycling and other outdoor recreation at your doorstep. It didn't matter. We ate, we walked, we toured (did I mention we ate?). We can't wait to return to Chantal and La Porte Bleue for a longer stay in warmer months.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, age 55+.

Great Apartment with a Fantastic View!

Guest: Carol (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/17/11 Review Submitted: 11/12/11

I stayed in the ground floor apartment at La Porte Bleue for 12 nights this June and it was fantastic! (I had asked for the upper floor listed here but it was booked so she proposed the ground floor – see the link after the Rates section.) The view is unbelievable. I could sit on the sofa or at the kitchen table and watch the evening skies over the chateau. Hot air balloons would drift by and I could listen to the sound of the Loire River rushing by. Chantal is not only a wealth of information about the area, but she’s also a ton of fun. I ended up seeing various sights in the surrounding area with her and becoming friends. (She served as a great impromptu French tutor too upon request!) When we arrived it was very hot and she immediately had a bowl of water out for my poor dog who was sweltering. The location was great with an easy walk over the bridge into town. Very clean and well equipped and all around an amazing value. I can’t say enough good things about the whole experience! Can’t wait to return.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Wonderful Experience!

Guest: Sandy Gale (Santa Cruz, California)
Date of Stay: 09/10/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

Thank you, Chantal ! Our week at la porte bleue was an absolutely fantastic experience. We stayed in the top apartment, which has a breath-taking view of the Amboise Chateau and the Loire River. The apartment is clean, comfortable, roomy and in an excellent location. The kitchen is well supplied and even has a dishwasher! The bed is very cosy. Chantal even supplied bicycles! Again, Thank you So Much, Chantal for the use of your amazing flat!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Best you can get in Amboise

Guest: PaulEmily (Oregon USA)
Date of Stay: 09/29/11 Review Submitted: 10/09/11

The location is ideal with an unobstructive view of the castle and the river, very clean and spacious accomodations, Chantal the owner is a WONDERFUL host in every way. She was there to greet us upon arrival and answered any questions we had about the area. We would highly recommend La Porte Bleue to anyone looking to stay in Amboise, 5 minute walk to the town square loaded with restaurants and wine bars. We will absolutely return!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

All you ever dreamt of...

Guest: Lindsay F.
Date of Stay: 08/27/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

Simply wonderful ! The view, the air, the light, the space, the welcome... Every morning I took a bicycle (2 are at your dispostion) to go from the island over the bridge, with the lovely breeze of the Loire river in my hair and the beautiful castle as a front view, to go and buy breakfast... I didn't even asked my children (3 teenagers) to go as I saw this as a privilege, a treat to myself. The apartment is very well located and we could visit during our 4 days stay Amboise, Blois, Chenonceaux, Tours, Rigny-Ussé and the Royal abbey Fontevraud. Chantal (the owner) is full of energy, very helpful and kind. she organised the apartment so well that everything is easygoing. La vue est imprenable de jour comme de nuit et je crois que Monet y aurait bien pu passer 5 ans à capter toutes les belles lumières sur le château... la petite ville est à quelques pas et le marché certainement à faire. Le gîte ne manque rien, tout est fonctionnelle et bien aménagé. BRAVO Chantal ! Voor diegenen die de Loirestreek willen verkennen en een deftig centraal gelegen gîte zoeken is dit dé plaats ! La porte bleue is kwaliteit/prijs optimaal en de energieke hulp van de eigenares is enorm waardeerbaar - zeer warm aanbevolen ! à très bientôt Chantal ! et surtout merci !

Owner response:Un grand merci pour ce très gentil commentaire. Au plaisir de vous revoir à la Porte Bleue. Chantal

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Charming Flat with Great View

Guest: Hugh and Barbara (Waialua, Hawaii, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/19/10 Review Submitted: 07/09/11

Our stay in "My Beautiful Blue Door" could not have been nicer. The flat is extremely well-appointed and beautifully decorated with intricate and interesting trompe l'oeil painted by the owner. The owner lives nearby and is very accommodating, even arranging to have ice cubes prior to our arrival. She extremely friendly and is a wealth of information and suggestions. Don't miss asking her about a special hike by the river! We plan to return. (This review is written late due to my not previously knowing the link for writing it.)

Owner response:Hello Hugh, Thank you et à l'année prochaine avec les glaçons pour le Martini !

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

An Excellent place from which to see the beauty of the chateaus and the surrounding Loire Valley!

Guest: Anne & Michael (Santa Barbara, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/20/11 Review Submitted: 06/10/11

We spent 7 days in the upstairs apartment and found it to be the perfect location from which to explore the chateaus in the lovely Loire Valley. The apartment is about a 15 minute walk from the train station, so it was not at all difficult to not have a car the first 3 days we were there. And Amboise is about a 30 minute drive from all of the major chateaus and towns in the area. More importantly, Chantal is a lovely and very thoughtful host, and provided us with a very clean and charming place to stay (for my wife and I, it was more than enough room, and we even cooked a meal we put together from the items we purchased at the big open-air Saturday market one evening) and helpful information about places to eat and shop in the town. And then, of course, there is the beautiful view of the chateau and the sound of the Loire River just outside your window! My wife and I especially enjoyed our stay here, and would highly recommend it to our family and friends. Merci beaucoup, Chantal. Au Revoir.

Owner response:Un grand merci à vous, Michael et Anne. Au plaisir de vous revoir un jour à la Porte Bleue !

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

A very special way to experience the Loire Valley

Guest: Spencer (New York City, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/27/11 Review Submitted: 04/17/11

A visit to the Loire Valley is a wonderful experience under any circumstances, but La Porte Bleue offers a unique opportunity to stay on an island IN the Loire, with a view of the river and, on the bank beyond, the town of Amboise and its great cháteaux. The house is located not far from the bridge that crosses the river at one end of the sparsely-populated island, and it is a short walk into Amboise (with a supermarket near the bridge) or to the train station in the other direction. I stayed in the ground floor apartment, which I found charming and very comfortable. The kitchen was well-equipped, and I very much enjoyed the iPod-based entertainment system. It was a wonderful home to return to after a day of sightseeing, providing a feeling of being in a magical place removed from the real world. No less charming than the apartment, however, was the owner, Chantal, and I am very grateful to her for her many kindnesses and for making my stay in Amboise a rich, comfortable, and rewarding vacation. The view from my window is on my computer's desktop, and I look forward to seeing it again in reality some day.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Our beautiful stay in Amboise!

Guest: Kirsten (Melbourne, Australia)
Date of Stay: 03/07/11 Review Submitted: 03/14/11

Dear Chantal, thank you so much for such a wonderful stay at 'La Porte Bleue'. We stayed on the ground level which was just lovely - particularly cosy and spacious with a fantastic view across the river to the chateau. Chantal - thank you also so much for your warm welcome and kind hospitality. We also loved that you provided so many things for our 11 month old baby including a high chair and cot and use of the washing machine downstairs! We loved our stay with you and would definitely look to return next time we visit the area; Thanks so much Chantal! Regards, Kirsten & Randall (and baby Sebastian) Australia 7th-10th March, 2011

Owner response:Merci à tous les 3 et à bientôt peut-être...

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