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Published: April 16th 2018
This afternoon, Sophie drove us to visit the royal château at Amboise, a massive pile of stone perched above the charming little town of Amboise, which lies 17 miles east of Tours, on the south bank of the Loire river. As has been the weather pattern lately, the day began under overcast skies, but by late afternoon we enjoyed sunshine, blue skies and temperatures in the low-to-mid-70s.
Unlike the other châteaux we've visited so far, the Château d'Amboise served as a royal residence for much of its existence. Since Neolithic times, the Châteliers promontory, the 120-ft.-tall hill upon which the château rests, has been an ideal observation post, while offering an exceptional natural defense. There is evidence to suggest that Roman legions under Julius Caesar (100 BC-44 BC) occupied this fortified site.
As the residence for French kings between the 15th- and 19th-centuries, it has been closely linked with the history of France. Numerous literary figures and artists were invited here, e.g., Leonardo da Vinci, whose tomb is preserved in the tiny chapel at the château. Following its confiscation by the Crown in 1431, the château’s more illustrious and luxurious times began, notably during the reigns of Louis XI,
The royal Château at Amboise
View of the north facade that faces the Loire river.Charles VIII and François I, the kings of France who reveled in the trappings of the royal court.
During the 15th- and 16th-centuries, the court of France was based in Amboise. Charles VIII (1470-1498), who famously killed himself after accidentally smashing his head into a lintel above a doorway, left a lasting mark on the château. He built the chapel and two large cavalry towers that enabled horses and carriages to go back and forth between the château’s terraces and the town below; and he hired French masons, Flemish sculptors, and Italian artisans, carpenters, gardeners and architects to work on the château, which at that time had 220 rooms.
François I's (1515-1547) fascination with literature and the arts made him a great Renaissance patron king. He invited numerous Italian artists to Amboise, including Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) who resided at the nearby château du Clos Lucé for the last three years of his life. He poured vast amounts of money into new structures, including the Château de Fontainebleau (which soon became his favorite residence, and that of his official mistress), and continued the work of his predecessors on the Château d'Amboise.
Sophie dropped us at the town's
Dee and Sophie
At a cafe on Place Michel Debré, in Amboise. main square, the Place Michel Debré, from where a steep, uphill ramp led us to the entrance of the château. After buying tickets, we continued uphill until we reached the large terraces that surround the château, where we had panoramic views of the Loire river, the town of Amboise, and the surrounding countryside. We entered the tiny Gothic chapel of Saint Hubert, which houses the supposed burial site of Leonardo da Vinci; there is also a marble bust in his honor that occupies a prominent place in another part of the terrace area.
While Dee waited on a bench in the terrace area, I made a mad dash through the three-floors of the château, with rooms that include Gothic, early-Renaissance, and 19th-century styles. I passed through council chambers, King Henry II's bedroom, and the rose-colored, top-floor rooms furnished in the post-Revolutionary fashion of the 1800's, before climbing to the top of the Minimes Tower for some grand views.
This tower, and the château's matching Heurtault Tower, were designed to accommodate soldiers on horseback. It must have been a wild ride back in the day, because when Dee and I exited the château via the Heurtault Tower, it was
quite a steep downhill descent. Nowadays the ramp is well-lighted and paved, but back then it would have been cobblestoned and torch-lit!
When we met Sophie at 4:30, we enjoyed drinks on the sunny terrace of a cafe at the Place Debré, with quite a crowd of people out and about, enjoying the fine weather on this Sunday afternoon. She graciously offered to drive us to the nearby Château du Clos Lucé, da Vinci's final home, but we did not want to impose upon her further, so we decided to forgo it until our next visit to the Val de Loire.
Dee's comments: Well, it's countdown time, so I started to get things organized to pack for the 6th time on this odyssey, and our bags are pretty filled-up by this point! We rested until Sophie took us to visit another castle, in the beautiful little town of Amboise on the river, with its shops, cafes and lots of half-timbered houses.
After spending 1-1/2 hours at the castle, we relaxed with Sophie over drinks on the outdoor terrace of a cafe--oh, and the sun came out! We had a nice drive back to Tours, through the beautiful
countryside of France, arriving home at about 6:30.
P.S. Right about now, our pocketbook & wallet are crying! We might have to ask the children to wire us some money, seeing as how London is supposed to be expensive. :-(
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Jeni
non-member comment
Another fun day of exploring, but the ramp to the tower looked like you were walking towards the light. ? very interesting to learn that is where Leonardo da Vinci’s tomb is. The views are spectacular. Enjoy the rest of the time in France!