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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