Towering over the Loire and the town of the same name, the Royal Château of Amboise in Indre-et-Loire is a reminder of a glorious past. Originally a medieval fortress, it was converted into a sumptuous Renaissance château from the 15th century onwards at the behest of several Kings of France. First there was Charles VIII, who was born at the castle. He brought artists over from Italy to give it a First French Renaissance style. But he died prematurely without being able to complete his work. His successor Louis XII then undertook to continue the work and the Heurtault Tower was built as a result. After taking over from him, King Francis I decided to raise the height of the Royal Lodge, where you can admire a beautiful collection of Gothic and Renaissance furniture. He also brought in Italian artists to embellish Amboise, like Leonardo da Vinci, whom he appointed to the role of first painter, engineer and architect of the King. He gave him the use of the Clos Lucé manor located near the castle, where the inventor spent the last three years of his life. A little anecdote: the two men used to meet up by taking an underground passage that connected the two buildings. The Clos Lucé manor is open to visitors and contains creations and models by the genius inventor. Not to be missed under any circumstances.
Let's go back to the Château of Amboise to discover rooms richly decorated with wood panelling, columns and carved fireplaces. Examples include the King's Lodge of course, and the Guard Room featuring rib vaults and tapestries from the 16th century. The Council Chamber, perhaps the most beautiful room in the castle, with its pillars decorated with fleur-de-lis. Or the Cupbearer's Room, also decorated with period furniture and 17th-century tapestries. Continue your tour all the way to the ramparts, where the Flamboyant Gothic Chapel of St. Hubert is located, containing the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. Afterwards, treat yourself to a stroll in the castle's beautiful gardens, where the view of the Loire Valley will enchant amateur photographers.
Between July and August, the night show "In the Court of King Francis" tells the story of the various events that took place during the reign of Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francis I. The programme includes image projections, water and light shows, dances from the period and fireworks.
