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Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire, France
Poised imposingly above the Loire River, Amboise today may be only a fraction of its original size, but it still gives the feel of a royal residence.
First constructed under the reign of Charles VIII in the late 15th century, it became a favoured place of residence for French kings and queens from then on until the 19th century.
Today you can wander from vaulted medieval guardrooms with suits of armour to tapestry-hung halls, to the red silks and mahogany of Restoration monarch Louis-Philippe. Interactive multi-media exhibits and audio guides in English on iPads bring the castle’s history to life. The occasional balcony or roofs offer panoramic views across the region fit for a king.
Read the useful summary on the website of the different parts of the chateau.
The tiny vaulted Gothic chapel contains the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci, who spent the last years of his life in the nearby Clos Luce.
Amboise can be reached by local train. The chateau is a 15-minute walk from the station, across the river.
There are interactive multi-media exhibits and audio guides in English on iPads that bring the castle’s history to life.
In the summer months, there are special behind-the-scenes guided tours of Amboise’s towers and maze of underground tunnels that survive from the medieval fortress beneath the Renaissance residence.
The chateau is open all year round, seven days a week.
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