As the Loire River glides gently east to west, officially separating northern from southern France, it has come to define one of France’s most popular tourist regions. Because of its history, this region is home to hundreds of castles and palaces in all shapes and sizes. When a “valley address” became a must-have among 16th-century hunting-crazy royalty, rich Renaissance palaces replaced outdated medieval castles.
Straddling the widest stretch of the river is the city of Amboise, an inviting town with a fine old quarter below its hilltop château. A castle has overlooked the Loire from here since Roman times. Leonardo da Vinci retired here.
..just one more of his many brilliant ideas.
The Italian genius came here in 1516 because it was the royal residence of French King François I. Leonardo packed his bags (and several of his favorite paintings, including the Mona Lisa ) and left a chaotic Rome for better wine and working conditions. Imagine his résumé and cover letter: "I can help your armies by designing tanks, flying machines, wind-up cars, gear systems, extending ladders, and water pumps.
" The king set Leonardo up in the Château du Clos-Lucé, a plush palace where he spent his last three years. (He died May 2, 1519.) The house is a kind of fortified château of its own with a rampart walk and 16th-century chapel.
The place survived the French Revolution because the quick-talking noble who owned it was sympathetic to the cause – and convinced revolutionar.
