Clos Luce
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Clos Luce

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The Clos Lucé, just a few hundred metres from the Royal Amboise Castle, is situated in the very heart of the city of Amboise in the Loire Valley, 190 kilometres from Paris. Construction began in 1110 with Hugues d’Amboise who called it the Manoir du Cloux.  It was transformed into Clos Lucé Castle by Charles VII and in 1490 became the summer residence of the kings of France.

François I would invite his friends to stay there often. In 1516 Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance painter, architect and engineer, accepted the invitation of François I to come to France.  He left Rome and crossed the Alps on the back of a mule.   Amongst his belongings, he brought with him three canvases:  The Mona Lisa, Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist.  He spent the last three years of his life at Amboise from 1516-1519. 

Today the castle is owned by the Saint-Bris family who opens it to the public; the entire castle is given over to the genius of Leonardo da Vinci.  The Renaissance façade is constructed in rose-coloured bricks and white stone. A visit gives you the chance to see Leonardo da Vinci’s bedroom and the cellars where you can see a collection of forty extraordinary machines which Leonardo invented and designed, such as the glider, the flying propeller and a tank. There are also other parts of the castle that are well worth a visit such as the bedroom of Marguerite de Navarre, the kitchen and the great council chamber. The castle is surrounded by a seven-hectare Parc named Leonardo da Vinci which is dedicated to Leonardo’s masterpieces, his landscapes and botanical drawings with life-size models. 

Take advantage of our  4 days visit to Normandy, Saint-Malo, Mont-Saint-Michel and Châteaux Country with our qualified Pariscityvision.com guides. During the visit to Amboise, you will be able to see Clos Lucé for yourself.

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