Arr Paris 6:55 am AA flight 145
Picked up car from Auto Europe
Drove to Amboise (about 3 1/2 hours with heavy traffic around Paris)

Map

Hotel: Le Clos d'Amboise

Visit to Château d'Amboise
Visit to Leonardo da Vinci Museum, Clos Luce

Map

Chenonceau Château - magnificent Renaissance castle, with iPod audio tour

Montrésor - one of the most beautiful villages of France, and a château with Polish Victorian decor.
Note: From the link above, click 'Montresor' on the map for more info.

Loches - walk through the historic town.

Southeast from Amboise

Along the Cher River to Bourges with its cobbled streets and half-timbered houses. (Drive took about 1.5 hours.)
Visit to the magnificent Gothic cathedral, and the Palace of Jacques Coeur.
Lunch at L'Ecrin du Lion d'Or on Place Gordaine.

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First, explored the "brocante," monthly second-hand market at Amboise.

Chinon - walk around town, Lunch at Creperie du Grand Carroi, near the spot where Joan of Arc rode into town.
(At the castle here Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine held court as dramatized in the film The Lion in Winter.)

Fontevraud Abbey (Tombs of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine)

Returned car at Gare de Lyon.

Hotel Résidence Monge on the Left Bank, Contrescarpe area.

Walk through Luxembourg Gardens.

Dinner at Brasserie Balzar

Moonlight cruise on the Bateaux-Mouches.

Exploring Paris ...
Montmartre, Rue des Martyrs, Pigalle (area where May Alcott lived).

Tea at A Priori Thé, in Galerie Vivienne

Pizza supper at Mezza Luna, 38. rue de Buci

Gelato at Amorino, 4, rue de Buci

Musée d'Orsay (reservation at 10 am).
Exhibition: Neo-Impressionism from Seurat to Paul Klee

Lunch: Brasserie St. Benoit, 44, rue St. Benoi.

Dinner: Moissonier, 28, rue des Fossées St. Bernard