Leonardo Da Vinci in Amboise

The mysterious Leonardo da Vinci, painter of the Mona Lisa - la Joconde exposed in the Louvre, Paris - lived and worked in Amboise from 1516 until his death in 1519.

He resided at the edge of Amboise in the Manor of the Clos Luce, a Renaissance house nowadays filled with its work and miniature inventions. The tour will take you on a journey through his brilliant mind and impressive work such as the fabulous flying machine...ancestor of the helicopter.

 Leonardo Da Vinci genius

Leonardo Da Vinci drawings

 

King Francis Ist & Leonardo Da Vinci in Amboise

From le Clos Lucé you can easily walk to Amboise city. There is a secret underground way between Amboise castle and the Clos Lucé so King Francis Ist could meet his “father” Leonardo whenever he wished to. It is also believed that they were so closed that King Francis Ist was holding Leonardo Da Vinci in his arms when he died. This event was painted by another famous artist: Ingres.

Francis Ist and Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo dying in King François 1st arms by Ingres (1780-1897) - ©Petit Palais - Roger Viollet

 

Amboise was the home of Leonardo Da Vinci during its last years of life, under the protection of King Francois 1st who loved Renaissance Italian art. It was actually, Da Vinci’s only home: During all his life in Italy he lived from a place to another to work for local landlords – he never owned his house until he arrived to Amboise.

Good thing that le Clos Lucé was not mentioned in Da Vinci Code: the site is not too crowded and you can really enjoy the manor itself and a beautiful park around it...where you can walk on Leonardo Da Vinci footsteps and try to imagine what was going on in his genius mind.

From Amboise, you are perfectly located to explore the Loire Valley area

Check out some Loire Valley itineraries including Amboise : 

Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 3830
Region
in Loire Valley & Bordeaux

Uncover every hideaway and detail of the Loire Valley and Bordeaux UNESCO heritage sites. Taste typical regional fo od at your hosts’ table and stay at Bed & Breakfasts with unique atmospheres .

Heritage & History
Towns & Villages
Duration
26 days
Price
US$ 7580
Region
in Paris, Loire Valley & Normandy

This itinerary will take you to three of the culturally richest regions of France, at a relaxed pace and away from the beaten tracks. We recommend flying into and out of Paris for this itinerary.

Wine Tasting
Heritage & History
Duration
16 days
Price
US$ 4980
Region
in Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Dordogne & Provence

France Just For You has organized its own very special Tour de France. No need for a bike but be ready for a great deal of adventure! This itinerary will take you off the beaten path to all the must sees & dos in four of the most enthralling regions of France.

Wine Tasting
Towns & Villages
Gourmet Food

France Just For You is rewarded with the 2023 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.

We keep working hard for our travelers to have the best experience in France.

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Kathy
We are preparing to do our second trip with Emilie to the Loire Valley, October 2018. Our first trip was to the region of Provence which was perfectly guided and gave us a most memorable experience. I highly recommend Emilie’s ability to put together a fabulous and memorable France just for you holiday.
Don
We heard about Emilie from a friend who used her travel services twice. They spoke so highly of her we figured we had to visit France just to meet her. We traveled to the Loire Valley with another couple and she interviewed us separately to understand what we wanted to see and do and what we didn’t want to do. As a result, she designed a perfect …
Elle
Laura and Emilie planned such a professional, authentic and fantastic trip that it has become one of my favorite vacations! Excursions, accommodations, and suggested activities were flawless -- such that the only difficult decision for us was what to select from scrumptious French cuisine. I was hesitant at first to trust an unknown online trip …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Judy & Rich
from the US
in Giverny, Normandy
Kim
From the US
Enjoying a glass of wine in Amboise
Sharon & Maroun
from the US
in Burgundy
Rose & Bryan
from the US
in Chenonceau castle, Loire Valley
Ray & Jane
From Australia
On the French Riviera
Naomi
From the US
In Villandry gardens in the Loire Valley
Mary-Ann & Ruth
From the US
Meeting Emilie in Normandy
Heather
From Australia
At her ancestor's gravestone on Northern France
Nathalie from Australia
...found a truffle in Provence !
Catherine, Chee Keong & Kate
From Malaysia
In Caen, Normandy, during the June commemorations of D-Day
Alexis, Stefanie and Paul...with Emilie & Family
from the US
At the B&B in the Loire Valley
Muriel & Michael
from the US
In Utah Beach, Normandy

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