the little tourist train, a holiday classic

It is a great classic of the tourist ride: the little train. In Amboise, it waits for its passengers in front of the tourist office to a city tour of about three quarters of an hour, between castles, beautiful buildings and the banks of the Loire. “This remains the easiest way to visit the cityremarks driver Jamal Bentaibi.For people who have difficulty getting around, for the elderly and for anyone who wants to discover history.“

The customers of the little train of Amboise are “mostly cultural tourists” continues Jamal, who for twelve years drove the little train from the town of Cassis. Between the Mediterranean coast and the banks of the Loire, apart from the clientele, there is not much that changes, assures- he. “I find a bit of the atmosphere of the seaside, people on vacation, shopkeepers who are always friendly. We don’t have the sea, but we have the Loire!“

We see things that we would not necessarily have discovered on foot

The Loire is a bit of the highlight of the show. It is on the Ile d’Or that the little train makes its only long stop, to admire and photograph the view of the royal castle. “I liked this stop” confirms Charles, a Canadian teenager who came with his parents to spend three days in Touraine. “I preferred everything about Leonardo da Vinci” completes his mother Catherine. The family is not on its first little train in France. “We noticed, during our travels, that it was ideal for discovering a city and getting your bearings (…) we see things that we would not necessarily have discovered on foot, because there are few time.”

In the carriages of the little train, people speak English, Dutch, Italian, Spanish… and French of course. Including passengers from towns in Touraine. “It’s often the locals who know the least!” laughs Estelle, who knows Amboise well but had never taken the little train until this Sunday when “we went to the market, had brunch, it’s the holidays, we enjoy.” With two young children, the activity was all found. The little train doesn’t tire them… and it amuses them.

And above all, don’t ask Jamal if the little train doesn’t have a cheesy image! Born in Amboise, “back to basics” as he says, the driver assures that “even young people are getting into it! They tell me ‘we did the little train at such a place, now we do it here’… you just have to take the first one.” Evidence of the popularity of this vehicle like no other : on the journey of the little train, the bosses and employees of the shops and restaurants do not fail to wave at Jamal… and the tourists on foot pull out the phone for a souvenir photo.