Château d'Amboise

Château d'Amboise

A royal balcony over the Loire

The Château d'Amboise rises on a high rocky terrace above the river Loire, looking down on the red rooftops of its town and the broad, slow river beyond. For a time around the year 1500 it was one of the most important royal residences in France, a place where kings grew up, held court and dreamed of the new ideas pouring in from Italy. Today, though only part of the great château survives, it remains one of the most beautiful sights on the Loire.

A king's childhood home

Amboise became a favourite of the French crown in the late 1400s. King Charles VIII grew up here and loved the place, and after visiting Italy he brought back Italian artists and craftsmen to make Amboise more splendid, helping to spark the French Renaissance. Sadly, Charles VIII also died at Amboise in 1498, after accidentally striking his head on a low doorway.

Later kings, including the young Francis I, spent part of their childhoods at Amboise, and under Francis the château became a centre of art, learning and glittering court festivals.

Leonardo da Vinci

Amboise holds a special place in history because of its connection to Leonardo da Vinci, perhaps the greatest genius of the Renaissance. In 1516, King Francis I invited the ageing Leonardo to come and live in France, giving him a charming manor house called Clos Lucé, just a short walk from the château — and, it is said, linked to it by an underground passage.

Leonardo spent his last three years there, full of honour, and died in 1519. By tradition he was buried at the Château d'Amboise, and today a tomb in the château's lovely little chapel of Saint-Hubert is believed to hold his remains. The chapel, with its delicate carved stonework, is one of the treasures of Amboise.

A darker chapter

Not all of Amboise's history is happy. In 1560, during France's bitter wars of religion, a plot against the young king was discovered — the "Amboise conspiracy". The plotters were captured and harshly punished at the château, a grim episode that has long been remembered.

A château reduced but still grand

Over the centuries much of the enormous original château was pulled down, and what survives today is only a part of the once-vast royal palace. Yet even this remaining portion, with its great hall, its terraces and its chapel, is impressive, and the views over the Loire are magnificent.

Visiting today

Visitors can explore the royal apartments, walk the ramparts and gardens with their sweeping river views, and visit the chapel of Saint-Hubert with the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. Nearby, the manor of Clos Lucé where Leonardo lived can also be visited, complete with models of his amazing inventions. Royal, beautiful and forever linked to the greatest mind of the Renaissance, Château d'Amboise is a highlight of the Loire valley.