Rainy-day activities
Our best rainy-day ideas
It’s the worst nightmare of any parent on holiday. While the calendar proudly proclaims a summer date, the forecast decides to play spoilsport and there nothing summery about it! A forecast that’s enough to put you in a cold sweat: rain, wind and temperatures more suited to the month of March. In the bedroom next door, the children are growing impatient. ‘Mum, what will we do tomorrow if it rains?’ No need to panic, the Tourist Office has it all covered! Whether your stay takes place in March, the height of the sudden downpours, or on the 15th of August with a freak rainy day, here are our best ideas for a successful holiday in Val d’Amboise when it rains.
Visiting the castles of the Loire on rainy days
First of all, we mustn’t overlook the option of a good castle. Though most castles in the Loire have fantastic gardens that shine even brighter in the sun, you can enjoy a tour of the inside of the castles of the Loire in any season. At the Château Gaillard Royal Estate, the Amboise Château Royal and the Château du Clos Lucé, a tour of the lively, furnished rooms of these monuments will delight young and old alike. At the Clos Lucé for example, the ‘Leonardo da Vinci, painter and architect’ galleries will lead you on a discovery of Leonardo’s engineering work, immersing you in a festival of light and music as you get up close and personal with some of his most iconic works.
The Amboise Conservatoire de la Confiserie
Still in Amboise, but on the other side of the Loire, the Conservatoire de la Confiserie sweets museum is an invitation to a magical world of traditional sweets and extraordinary machines. Nicolas Viollet, son of a long line of confectioners with his whimsical moustache, awaits you for a dive into a sugar-sweet world discovering the traditions of caramel and flavoured lollipops. Every afternoon from Tuesday to Sunday, Nicolas and his team treat foodies to an interactive tour where everyone will be shown how to make their own personalised lollipop. A souvenir to be enjoyed without moderation …
The Touraine Aquarium in Lussault-sur-Loire
Now, head for the village of Lussault-sur-Loire, less than 10 minutes from the centre of Amboise. On the heights of this town, the Touraine Aquarium awaits you. Opened in 1994, this aquarium was originally dedicated to typical species from the freshwaters of the Loire. In one of the deepest pools, you’ll find the terrifying silurus, a giant catfish which can reach up to 2 metres in length, reigning in the depths of our river. 30 years after its opening, the Touraine Aquarium has extended and now covers the 7 seas of the world. Sharks, clownfish, alligators, piranhas and more: dozens of exotic species live side-by-side with more typical Loire fish. All year round, the Aquarium offers fun and educational activities, like the Keeper workshop, where children accompany one of the site keepers to meet its scaly inhabitants.
The cave sites near Amboise
For lovers of the local land, a tour of a cave site is sure to feature on your agenda. The stone from which the Châteaux of the Loire Valley are constructed was extracted from giant quarries in the bowels of the earth. Now unused for dozens of years, these have been reimagined by ingenious men and women who have converted them, drawing on their very best assets. The constant coolness, increased humidity and dark environment make these the perfect place for mushroom production, silk-worm farming or wine preservation. Many cave cites and cellars welcome you all year long in Val d’Amboise and in the surrounding area. The Caves Ambacia in Amboise specialise in ageing old vintages. The Domaine Plou et Fils in Chargé has been producing wine there since the 16th century. Not far from the Amboise Château Royal, the Greniers de César are a mysterious site that some say date back to the Romans themselves …
The Grand Coteau in Noizay and the museums of Amboise
A host of other accessible sites and monuments await to shelter from the rain – or even to enjoy on sunny days! The Domaine de Grand Coteau in Noizay was once home to the great composer Francis Poulenc, and welcomed some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, such as Jean Cocteau, Colette or Pablo Picasso. In Amboise, the Morin Museum houses a fantastic collection of works retracing the history of Amboise, while the Le Garage Art Centre welcomes contemporary-art exhibitions several times a year.
Don't hesitate to contact the Val d'Amboise Tourist Office team to organize your stay, depending on weather conditions.
