“All you need to know is that it’s possible.” – Wolf, an Appalachian Trail Hiker
Amboise is a small town in central France which lies on the banks of the Loire River. It is such a beautiful place of castles, old towns, villages and views of the river that makes this an ideal stopover. Here you can see some of the houses in the main road that are made of half timber and half stone.
The modern sculpture fountain that was restored in 2015 and offered to the city of Amboise.
The Clock Tower is one of the iconic sites in Amboise which was built in the 15th century. During that time, it served as the main gateway into town. In 1445 it turned into a bell tower and the clock was only added in later years.
Before our trip, my husband and I didn’t know anything about Amboise. Our travel coordinator asked us if anybody wanted to see the Chateau, and I think only 6 people out of 30 went (well, maybe because there is a fee to enter). But OMG, the rest of the people in our tour really missed so much by not going down at this place.
The Royal Chateau de Amboise is in the heart of the Loire Valley and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This chateau that stands today is only part of a larger building that once occupied the site. This is a famous part of French history and many of the Kings of France were born, lived and died at Chateau de Amboise.
First thing that we saw upon entering the grounds was the little Chapel of St Hubert which is also a part of the Chateau. The chapel sits high on a cliff and it can be visible from all the corners of the castle.
Leonardo da Vinci died in Amboise in 1519 and was buried in St. Florentine’s church. After the French revolution, his bones were moved and reburied in the St Hubert’s chapel.
St Hubert in itself is an architectural highlight of Amboise, as it is tiny but really exquisite . This Gothic chapel was built between 1491 and 1496 during the reign of Charles VIII.
The Royal Chateau in Amboise is truly a magnificence site, with the castle dominating the skyline, it feels like something out of a fairytale.
Leonardo Da Vinci lived in Amboise from the age of 64. He asked the king at that time if he could be buried in the chateau grounds in the St Florentine Church. But that church has been demolished in the early 1800s, so now a bust stands on the spot to mark the site.
The garden of the Chateau is well manicured and some of the trees are clipped to form balls and cones.
Looking down from the castle you can get some excellent view of the town and the river.
The houses look like tiny dollhouses from a bird’d eye view perspective.
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