Centre-Val de Loire Region

High on our bucket list for our travels in France was to spend time exploring some of the incredible châteaux in the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley is actually composed of two different regions: Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire. There are over 200 of them, in varying states of repair, located in the Centre-Val de Loire region alone. The area along and near the Loire River was a strategic geographical and economic location for trade throughout the history of the country. In addition, the rich landscape provided the perfect conditions for growing plants and grazing animals to supply the needs of the local residents. We had the opportunity to tour 3 different castles in the region and Château d’Amboise was the one that appeared to be the most cohesively joined with the village and landscape of the surrounding area.

The Town of Amboise

From our Airbnb cottage in Dhuizon, we drove a little over an hour to the town of Amboise where we toured  Château Royal d’Amboise. When we arrived, there was a film crew in town filming both downtown and at the château, though we were never able to figure out for what purpose they were filming (news, TV show, movie, etc.). We took some time to walk around the town, taking in the beautiful shops and cobblestone streets. We stopped for lunch at Les 4 Saisons where 4 of us had galettes while Sophie ordered a banana Nutella crepe. Since Sophie had dessert as her meal, the rest of us split a sweet crepe La Normande (featuring the wonderful in-season apples of the Normandy region) for dessert.

Click on photo to enlarge and see descriptions.

We adored this beautiful little town. It lay nestled up against the castle’s walls where the stunning royal château served as its crowning jewel. All along the stone wall were small buildings that seemed to be carved out of the stone upon which the castle was built. We learned that there is a subterranean system of tunnels that lies under the castle and the surrounding area. Much of the system is no longer functional or has been blocked over the centuries, but in its prime, these tunnels bustled with activity as those who served the royal family made their way from the town to the castle with supplies.

Leonardo da Vinci

By this point in our travels, we had come to discover what a remarkable influence Leonardo da Vinci had in this country. Despite his Italian heritage, he had come to regard France as his home in his later years. He became a good friend of King Francis I, who invited him to Amboise and named him “Premier Painter and Engineer and Architect of the King." The king offered da Vinci use of the nearby Château Clos Luçe which had, until that time, been a summer residence for the kings of France. The property was connected to the royal château by one of the underground tunnels, allowing the two friends to meet frequently. It was here, in Clos Luçe, that da Vinci spent his final 3 years.

Before touring the château, we took a walk across the bridge over the Loire River where we found the large copper statue of Leonardo da Vinci. The statue, which was created by Italian sculptor Amleto Cataldi, was presented to the French government in 1935 by the Republic of San Marino. It is said that the statue was a representation of da Vinci as a Greek god. It was originally installed in Paris but was moved to Amboise in 1976. The statue gazes over the Loire toward the castle. The statue itself is impressive but the views from this location are gorgeous and definitely worth the stroll across the river.

Da Vinci’s presence is felt all around this town. From his home at Clos Luçé, to his statue gazing across the Loire River, to his many works of art gracing the castle walls and a bust of him overlooking the palace gardens, and finally, to the chapel on the grounds of the royal palace where his remains are buried (though there is some debate about the identity of the remains).

Château d’Amboise and Saint-Hubert Chapel

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the royal property and the castle. We began by ascending a cobblestone ramp that led from the town below to the entrance of the castle. This ramp served a dual purpose of both welcoming honored guests and defending the property from invaders. High above our heads, we saw the “murder holes” that are drilled into the ceiling above the tunnel that would have been stocked with hot tar or heavy objects to be dropped onto the heads of any unwelcome guest.

Once we arrived in the courtyard, we purchased our tickets. We opted for a self-guided tour which included an interactive HistoPad. We highly recommend taking advantage of the HistoPad, which is offered free of charge. It enriches your visit by allowing you to access more information about the rooms, decorations, and historical objects that you will encounter throughout your visit. It’s easy to use and a particularly great tool in the hands of younger visitors to keep them engaged. Our girls, particularly Sophie, found the HistoPad to be an invaluable tool during our visit. She was so excited to be able to show us pictures of the spaces we were touring as they would have been in various time periods and she loved giving us facts that we hadn’t yet discovered. It made her feel knowledgeable and kept her interested during our entire visit. Guided tours are also available for those who want to learn more and have access to more areas of the property.

We visited Saint-Hubert Chapel first. Here, we admired the ornate carvings all around the entrance of the gothic style chapel and the beautiful stained glass that adorned the interior. The chapel itself is built atop the wall that surrounds the estate. As a result, it looks as though it is perched above the town and is quite an impressive sight. We also saw the (supposed) tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. In his final days, da Vinci stated in his last will and testament that he wished to be laid to rest in the palace church of St. Florentine. Upon his death in May of 1519, he was entombed at St. Florentine on the grounds of the Château d’Amboise. The church was destroyed several centuries later during the French Revolution. In 1863, excavators found and identified fragments of da Vinci’s tombstone along with skeletal remains and coins from King Francis I’s reign. In spite of the dispute over whether the skeleton actually belonged to da Vinci, the bones were transferred to Saint-Hubert Chapel in 1871 where they still remain.

Renovations were beginning to take place on the chapel during our visit and have continued over the past couple of years. At times, this means that the interior of the chapel is unavailable. During these times, the HistoPad will give you detailed information and photos to help make your visit complete. Thankfully, renovations are planned to be complete in spring of 2024 and the chapel will be fully accessible once again.

After a brief tour of the chapel, we made our way to the castle, stopping to admire the stunning panoramic views from the ramparts rising high above the River Loire and the town of Amboise. We learned that the castle was once about 5 times larger than it is today. Much of the structure was dismantled in the 19th century. We were able to tour the guard rooms, the great Council room with its enormous fireplace and vaulted ceiling, and the king’s bedroom. Despite the downsizing of this once enormous château, we found it to be quite lavish and impressive.

History & Famous Residents of Château d’Amboise

Château d’Amboise was initially constructed in the 11th century by the Count of Anjou and was passed down for several generations. The castle first became a royal residence in the mid 1400s, when Charles VII seized it from Louis d’Amboise who was executed for his involvement in a plot against the monarchy. Many of the Kings of France were born, lived, and died at Château d’Amboise.

It was King Charles VIII, grandson of Charles VII, that directed the reconstruction of the castle into a late gothic, early renaissance style in the late 15th century. He brought in Italian architects, painters, and sculptors from his Italian campaigns. In addition, he expanded the terraces and gardens surrounding the castle. He also embellished the château by building great towers, including Les Minimes Tower, which housed a spiral ramp that was wide enough to allow horses and carriages to ascend into the gardens.  Unfortunately, he neglected to enlarge the château’s doors to accommodate riders on horseback. As a result, on April 7, 1498, the 27-year-old king hit his head on a door lintel on his way to watch a game of jew de paume (like tennis). He suddenly collapsed, became comatose, and died 9 hours later.

King Francis I was raised at Amboise as the ward of King Louis XII. He was a huge fan of Italian art and architecture. This passion was what would lead him to befriend Leonardo da Vinci. He continued to improve the property along with the construction and renovation of many other castles throughout the region. It was during his reign that the château reached its peak of grandeur.

Upon the death of King Francis I, his son and heir, Henry II ascended to the throne. Henry II and his wife, Catherine de’ Medici, raised their children there. They also served as hosts and guardians to young Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots who was betrothed to their eldest son, Francis II. Following the untimely death of Henry II, Francis II became king. As a result, his now wife, Mary, became Queen of both Scotland and France. Francis II would have a short reign and would be succeeded by two of his younger brothers as the instability of the monarchy ushered in the darkest days in the castle’s history.

The Conspiracy of Amboise occurred in March of 1560 during the Wars of Religion. This conspiracy was an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Guise brothers (uncles to Mary, Queen of Scots), who were violent oppressors of Protestantism. A group of over 1,000 protestants laid siege to Amboise attempting to kidnap the young King Francis II and capture the Guise brothers. The plot failed and the conspirators and their troops were killed and hanged from the castle walls. In the ensuing years, the castle faded in its importance for the monarchy.

The Gardens

Among the additions added by King Charles VIII were the gardens. These structured formal gardens became the “French style” that was adopted across all of France. The gardens at Amboise cover over 2 hectares of land. They include the terrace of Naples, which was designed at the end of the 15th century, and the contemporary garden, which was designed by Louis-Philippe in the 19th century.

We accessed the gardens by following the gentle spiral ramp of Les Minimes Tower and were treated to a beautiful and serene landscape of plants, trees, and flowers. We encountered hundreds of boxwood hedges adorning a hillside, beautiful views of the castle from every angle, and enormous trees inviting us to enjoy the comfort of their shade. We also enjoyed finding the bust statue of Leonardo da Vinci. This statue serves as a nod to both his friendship with King Francis I and his contribution to art and architecture throughout France.

A new garden was added in 2005, created by the artist-sculptor Rahid Koraichi and paying tribute to Emir Abd al Kader's (the leader of the Algerian Revolution which led to independence for the country) companions who died while they were detained at Amboise. The geometric pattern of stone slabs is traversed by a green line of plants pointing to Mecca. Rosemary, jasmine, cyprus, and laurel are all featured as these plants are found on both sides of the Mediterranean.

As we walked through the gardens we had gorgeous views of the beautiful Château d'Amboise and also over the defensive wall to the River Loire and the town of Amboise below. While the gardens here were not as vast as you’ll find at some of the other châteaux in the Loire Valley, the gardens at Amboise are beautiful. Both the castle and the town are well worth a visit.

Le Shelby Restaurant

We ended our tour and made our way back toward our beautiful Airbnb in Dhuizon. Following alongside the Loire River, we were enjoying our views and chatting about our visit when we saw a flash just to the side of the road. Kevin realized that he was going a bit over the posted speed limit and was sure that he’d just received a speeding ticket. Sure enough, it showed up in the mail shortly after we returned home to the US in December, proving that the French have a firm grasp of enforcing the speed limit in their country and effectively tracking down any offenders. (Be vigilant and follow the posted speed limit signs if you ever find yourself driving in France!)

Feeling hungry and not wanting to cook, we stopped for dinner at Le Shelby in Blois. The restaurant was owned by a local who was passionate about old cars from the USA. He was thrilled to find out that we were Americans and enjoyed engaging us in conversation about his many travels to car shows in the US as we were paying our bill. His walls were adorned with pictures and car memorabilia and the entire restaurant was decorated like a 1950’s American diner. There was even a Big Boy statue proudly displayed outside. We felt right at home enjoying our burgers and fries and even split a sundae for dessert. (Yes, we had 2 sweet treats in 1 day, but we also walked a lot so that means 1 was a freebie. Right?)

There are so many castles to visit in the Loire Valley of France. We believe Château Royal d’Amboise holds so much beauty and history that it is well worth your time to stop for a tour. If we have the chance to come back, we will definitely add a visit to nearby Clos Luçé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last 3 years. Amboise gave us the quintessential French experience from the moment we arrived until we left. From the cobblestone streets, local merchants, tasty cuisine, beautiful views, and rich history, this was an unforgettable stop. Have you toured any castles in the Loire Valley? Which was your favorite? Tell us in the comments below.