Clos-Luce in the Loire Valley

We encourage any of our guests who visit Amboise to also visit Manoir Clos-luce, where Leonardo de Vinci (1516-1519) spent the last years of his life here in the Loire Valley.

Leonardo had been enticed here by the arts loving Francois I with the promise of a pension and home. Little demands were put on him other than to be available for intellectual conversation, he was ”free to think, dream and work”. He had crossed the Alps on a mule carrying with him some of his precious artwork including the Mona Lisa – which explains why it hangs in the Louvre and not Rome.

The Manoir was built in the late 1400’s and had various owners before Charles VIII bought it and turned it into a royal residence, perhaps for his and future king’s mistresses.

You can get a taste of the private life of this illustrious man as you visit his bedroom, his kitchen and his study, as well as the small chapel displaying frescoes by his disciples.

In the underground rooms there is a display of models and artefacts bestowing the genius of the great man.Kids should be distracted enough for you to appreciate the inventions and ideas on display.

Life-sized models have been created to be displayed in the interesting gardens providing a practical museum to the great thinker - it was by observing nature that many of his ideas came. Within the grounds there is a playground for the kids plus picnic areas if you don't wish to use the eating options on site.

The house can be reached by walking down Rue Victor-Hugo from the chateau and past some troglodyte homes for about 400mtrs.

Clos-Luce on experienceloire.com/

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