Visit to Amboise

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I know it's been 17 days since I wrote a journal. You know how it is; I've been busy visiting chateaux and drinking good wine and studying.... So, I will try to catch up, starting with today and working backwards.

Today, we had a 1/2 day of classes, then met at the train station and took a 25 minute train ride to AMBOISE, a lovely little town with castle and Clos de Luce. We had a guided tour of the castle which is situated in the centre of the old town, but very high up with a commanding view of the Loire.

The fascinating thing about Amboise is that King Francois I enticed Leonardo da Vinci to come and spend some time here. He gave him a large annual stipend and all the materials, accommodation comforts he wanted. Francois had won the wars against Italy and brought home all kinds of booty as well as 22 artisans to work their magic in his chateaux. Leonardo came in 1515 and stayed until his death in 1519. He brought with him 3 of his paintings: La Joconde, Madonna and Ste Anne, and St Jean Baptiste. He worked on many of his sketches and inventions while in Amboise. He died with Francois I at his side (apparently). He is buried there in the little Chapel.

We visited the Chapel, the chateau, and his home (Clos de Luce). The latter has a lot of the original building with furnishings and models of his inventions as well as very rustic gardens. From the window of his workroom he could see the castle and chapel. He received regular visits from the King and his wife, Anne de Bretagne.

I always wondered why the Louvre ended up with some of Leonardo's best works.

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