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

Paul
My wife and I had our travel plans created by Emilie at "France Just For You," a personal travel planner, Our trip was seamless as everything was prepared by FJFY: car rental pickup, B&B #1, detailed maps and activities, B&B 2, train to Paris, hotel, tours . . . . it was simply amazing! FJFY creates a customized tour book for your entire trip, it …
Cathy
France Just For You planned the trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. We traveled to Normandy, St. Saint Michele, the Loire Valley and Provence. We are typically not road trip travelers, but this adventure brought us closer to the wonderful people of France than any group tour or "drop and plop" vacation could ever do. The bed and breakfasts …
Jena
Our trip was exactly as expected, planned perfectly with so many amazing tips on where and how to get around like a local. 25 days, with lots of driving and so much to see. Paris, Versailles, Normandy, Loire Valley, Sancerre, Dordogne and Bordeaux. We were warmly welcomed at all B&Bs and felt that we really got a local feel everywhere we went. All …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Stéphanie & Vania
from the US
on the Aiguille du Midi peak in the French Alps (Chamonix)
Mita & Bip from the US
In Biarritz, Basque Country
Kathy & David
from Canada
In Avignon, Provence
Julie, Mary-Jo, Ben & Kevin
From the US
In the Loire Valley
Deborah & Richard
from the US
On Omaha Beach, Normandy
Scott & Linda
From Australia
In Mont Saint Michel
David & Lindsay
From the US
Celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in France
Mike & Lynda
from the US
Wine Tasting in Bordeaux
Greg, Laurie, Laura & Jeff
From the US
With their B&B host near Mont Saint Michel
The Loo Family
From Malaysia
Visiting an out of the beaten track abbey in the Loire valley, with its owner
The Loo Family
From Malaysia
At the breakfast table in the Loire Valley
Ashish, Kaushiki & Kailash
From the US
In Paris, across the Seine river from the Louvre Museum

Last Blog Articles