Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the furnishings are original, nor are they particularly compelling (though you can stare
face-to-facewithacopyofLeonardo's
MonaLisa
).Cometoseewell-explainedmodelsof
Leonardo's inventions, displayed inside the house and out in the huge park.
Leonardocamewithdisciples,whoalsostayedactivehere,usingthishouseasakind
of workshop and laboratory. The place survived the Revolution because the quick-talking
noble who owned it was sympathetic to the cause; he convinced the Revolutionaries that,
philosophically, Leonardo would have been on their side.
Cost and Hours:
The €14 admission (includes house and park) is worth it for
Leonardo fans with two hours to spend taking full advantage of this sight. Skip the garden
museum and its €5 supplement. Daily April-Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov-Dec and Feb-March
9:00-18:00, Jan 9:00-17:00, follow the helpful free English handout, tel. 02 47 57 00
73,
www.vinci-closluce.com
. A free app in English includes background information and
tours of the château and grounds (download via iTunes).
Getting There:
It's a 10-minute walk uphill from Château Royal d'Amboise, past
troglodyte homes (see end of previous listing). If you drive, don't leave valuables visible
in your car if you park in the nearby lot.
Eating:
There are several garden cafés, one just behind the house and others in the
park, that are reasonably priced and appropriately meditative. For a view over Amboise,
choose the terrace
crêperie.
Visiting the Château and Gardens:
Your visit begins with a tour of Leonardo's el-
egant yet livable Renaissance
home.
This little residence was built in 1450—just within
the protective walls of the town—as a guesthouse for the king's château nearby. Today it
re-creates (with Renaissance music) the everyday atmosphere Leonardo enjoyed while he
lived here, pursuing his passions to the very end. Find the touching sketch in Leonardo's
bedroom of François I comforting his genius pal on his deathbed.
Thebasementlevelisfilledwith
sketches
recordingthestormpatternsofLeonardo's
brain and
models
of his remarkable inventions (inspired by nature and built according to
his notes). Leonardo was fascinated by water. All he lacked was steam power. It's hard
to imagine that this Roman candle of creativity died nearly 500 years ago. Exit into the
rosegarden,thenfindanotherroomwith40smallmodelsofhisinventions(withhandheld
English explanations).
Imagine Leonardo's résumé letter to kings of Europe: “I can help your armies by
designingtanks,flyingmachines,wind-upcars,gearsystems,extensionladders,andwater
pumps.” The French considered him a futurist who never really implemented his visions.
Your visit finishes with a stroll through the whimsical, expansive and very kid-
friendly
park grounds,
with life-size models of Leonardo's inventions (including some
that kids can operate), “sound stations” (in English), and translucent replicas of some of
