Amboise is my favourite Loire Valley city. Though it was the historic architecture that first attracted me, the memories I celebrate here are of a personal nature and reflect the heartfelt hospitality I have always received in the city.

Au Cheval Blanc (At The White Horse) Le Cheval Blanc is a hotel and restaurant near the chateau. When I was a guest in 2002 the proprietress was a young Spanish woman whose warmth, allied with the animated gestures of a flamenco dancer, quite disarmed me. I b...