France June 2016 - Amboise

"Straddling the wiest stretch of the Loire River, Amboise is an inviting town with a pleasing old quarter below its hilltop chateau.  A castle has overlooked the Loire from Amboise since Roman times.  As the royal residence of Francois I (reign 1515-1547), Amboise was the second capital of France."  - Rick Steves

The view of the Chateau of Amboise at the bridge crossing the Loire River to Amboise was so stupendous I had to get out of the car and take a picture of it.  A feudal fortress dressed up in Renaissance clothes.  It looked so beautiful sitting there on its triangular plateau sculpted by the Loire and Amasse rivers and overlooking the two rolling valleysthese rivers also left behind.  All trace of the Amasse River has now disappeared under the town, along with the remains of the Gauls, Roman legions, and a long list of feudal lords who for a thousand years fled to the safety of the escarpment and farmed the fertile valleys.  All that is now left is the royal chateau created during the time three French kings brought the Renaissance to France.  Amboise is one of those marvelous French towns of perfect size -- big enough to have excellent restaurants and pastry shops, and small enough so that you can park anywhere and walk to wherever you are going."  - Ina Caro
   
A model of the Royal Chateau.  To the left would be the wide Loire River.  To the lower right would be town main street (Rue Victor Hugo)
   

And the real thing.  In the 15th century, this was one of the biggest forts in France.

The Chateau Royal d'Amboise became the favored royal residence in the Loire under Charles VIII, who did most of the building in the late 15th century.   Charles is famous for accidentally killing himself by waking into a door lintel on his way to a tennis match (seriously) here at Chateau d'Amboise.  Later, more careful occupants include Louis XII (who moved the royal court to Blois) and Francois I (who physically brought the Renaissance here in 1516, in the person of Leonardo Da Vinci) - Rick Steves.
   
 
   
The main Chateau building where we went through the castle rooms.
   
Notice the King's throne to the left.
   
Back outside, looking up the hill across the courtyard.  There was a garden at the top.
   
The Loire River is the longest in France and is the natural boundary between northern and southern France.  It'sis no coincidence most of the region's chateaux are along the Loire River or its tributaries.  The rivers were the roads back then.
   
The bridge here was a strategic river crossing.
   
That is not the opposite shore of the Loire River, but the half-mile-long "Golden Island" (Ile d'Or).  Since it was the place where north and south came together, truces were made here.
   
 
   
Looking at the Chateau's river-facing facade.  Clearly, they liked a good view back then, just as they do now.
   
Looking down from the Chateau into some not-too-private backyards.
   
Chateau garden.
   
 
   
 
   
Pretty as a picture.
   
 
   
Vinyards on the Chateau grounds.
   
 
   
Looking southeast at Le Clos-Luce, the chateau Leonardo De Vinci lived for three years, courtesy of King Francois I.  The L'Amasse River meanders down there as well, although we can't see it in this picture.
   
At statue of Leonardo De Vinci, of whom King Francois I was a big fan.
   
Looking back at the Royal Chateau.
   
Leonardo is supposedly buried here in the little Chapel on the west side of the Chateau grounds.
   
Looking down at the town main street.
   
And soon, we were there.  Beyond Lynnette, where the awning is, is a restaurant that we enjoyed our dinner at.  In fact, I think we ate their twice!  The desserts were fantastic.
   
Looking up at the Chateau/Castle from main street.
   
 
   
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