On the banks of the Loire River, 14 miles east of Tours, lies the medieval market town of Amboise. Once home to the French royal court it is also where the great Leonardo da Vinci spent the remaining years of his life. Some of his inventions are still in Amboise today and have not been removed. His house, the Clos Lucé manor house, has lost some of its original building but it still remains standing today with a beautiful overlook of the Loire River.
The Château d'Amboise, home of Francis I of France, dominates the town and is located just 500 metres away from Clos Luce. The narrow streets contain some good examples of timbered housing. Just outside of the city is the Pagode de Chanteloup, a 44 metre tall Chinese Pagoda built in 1775 by the Duke of Choiseul. The Pagoda is seven levels high, with each level slightly smaller than the last one. An interior staircase to reach all levels is open to the public.
* The Musée de la Poste (in the Hôtel Joyeuse) is a museum tracing the history of the postal delivery service.
* A Max Ernst fountain of a turtle is located on the riverside, where the markets are held
* There are two weekly markets. Thursdays specialise in fish, with the main market on Sundays.
For winelovers the Amboise Valley is one of the best places in France to visit. The vines have been part of the Touraine landscape since the 8th century but it was in the 15th century that winegrowing underwent particularly strong development in Amboise thanks to Louis XI's influence. Here you can sample and buy the famous Amboise Blanc and Amboise Rose.
Other places of interest: The Gardens in Villandry - The Renaissance style Town Hall Museum - The Maison de la Loire.
Getting there...
By Train: Railway station in Amboise.
Paris-Tours (via Amboise)
Paris-Tours high-speed train (TGV) (via St Pierre des Corps)
Tours (TUF) has domestic and scheduled flights
London-Tours with Ryanair.
Photo courtesy of Amboise tourist office
