Amboise, in the Loire Valley
Posted by jessica@discoverfrance.com on November 18, 2009
The town of Amboise, which lies on the south bank of the Loire below the proud remains of its castle, the Royal Château d\'Amboise, is its most picutresque when seen from the bridge of the north bank of the river. The rock spur above the town, on which the chateau ruins stand, has been fortified since the Gallo-Roman period. The chateau was once five times its present size, but has been much reduced by war and lack of finance. In the late fifteenth century, Charles VIII decided to turn the old castle of his childhood days into an extravagant and luxurious palace, adding the flamboyant Gothic wing that overlooks the river and the chapelle de St-Hubert, which perches incongruously atop a buttress of the defensive walls. During the reign of François II, the chateau achieved notoriety. The Tumult of Amboise was one of the first skirmishes in the Wars of Religion. The Tour des Minimes, the original fifteenth-century entrance, is architecturally the most exciting part of the castle. With its massive internal ramp, it was designed for the maximum number of fully armored men on horseback to get in and out as quickly as possible.
The chateau now houses several models of Leonard de Vinci’s mechanical inventions including the suspension bridge, paddle-wheel boat, and turbine. In July and August, son-et-lumière shows are held around 10pm at both the châteaux and Clos-Lucé. The market takes place every Friday and Sunday morning by the riverside.