Amboise sits where the Amasse river meets the Loire, and the waterfront below the chateau is one of the most pleasant stretches of river in the valley. A quayside promenade runs along the south bank; from here you look up at the chateau walls rising directly from the rock above.
The Île d'Or — a mid-stream island accessible on foot via bridges — is a public park with views up to the chateau and downstream along the Loire. Canoe hire is available in summer from the island. The combination of flat water, the castle silhouette, and the wide Loire sky makes this the best spot in Amboise at dusk.