You cannot visit the town of Amboise and its impressive château without also visiting nearby Chateau du Clos Luce. Château du Clos Lucé has nothing of the extravagance of the Loire Valley castles. In fact, it is not even a castle in the real sense of the word.
On the other hand, it can brag about something that none of the others can: Clos Lucé claims to have been the official residence of one of the greatest minds of all times, Leonardo da Vinci. And history comes alive when you walk the very ground on which Leonardo himself walked in the final years of his life.
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A Brief History of Chateau du Clos Luce
The small château is located in the city of Amboise, France, about 500 meters away from the royal Château d’Amboise, to which it is connected by an underground passageway. The building is a two-story high mansion with a beautifully ornate façade of pink brick and tufa stone.
So how did this place get to be Leonardo da Vinci’s home? During the Italian wars, the Kings of France discovered Leonardo da Vinci’s talents and called on him many times. But it was King Francis the First who invited Da Vinci to live at the Château du Clos Lucé and work for him, in 1516.
When he moved to Clos Lucé, crossing the Alps on the back of a mule, Leonardo brought with him from Rome some of his favorite works. Among them was his famous Mona Lisa. That explains why this painting hangs in Paris today and not in Rome.
Da Vinci’s Time at Chateau du Clos Luce
Da Vinci stayed at Clos Luce in Amboise for the last three years of his life. During this time he designed some remarkable projects. Two of these accomplishments still amaze the engineers today. One it the draining system for the Sologne marshes. The other is the intricate double-turn staircase at Chateau de Chambord.
During his time at Chateau Clos Luce, Da Vinci worked as the king’s painter, architect and engineer. At times, he was even the king’s entertainment director, organizing festivities for the Court. It was at Clos Lucé where Da Vinci drew up the plans for an ideal town at Romorantin.
King Francis I had a very high esteem for Da Vinci. In addition to Clos Lucé, he also gave him a big allowance in gold and financed his works. The artist was free to think, dream and pursue his goals. And all the king was asking in return was the pleasure of hearing the maestro speak his words of wisdom:
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
What to Expect when Visiting the Castle
The Chateau du Clos Luce was erected in the 1400s. Over the centuries the chateau fell into serious disrepair. In 1960s the building underwent some major renovations that brought it to the condition it was in during Leonardo’s time.
Although not very big, the château is really beautiful and atmospheric. You can try to imagine the daily life of this illustrious man as you visit his bedroom, his kitchen, and his study.
The underground rooms display a great number of models ranging from military engineering projects and mechanics to flying machines and musical instruments. The models have been built by the IBM Corporation from Leonardo’s sketches and using materials available in his time.
Da Vinci’s Unusual Inventions
Da Vinci had a brilliant mind and was so much ahead of his time. His imagination still amazes people of the 21st century. One of the most interesting inventions that we’ve seen at Chateau Clos Luce are the sketches of an unusual musical instrument.
The instrument looks like a harpsichord, is played like a piano, but it sounds like a violin. Until recently the 500-hundred-year-old concept existed only on paper, but last year it was finally built. “Viola organista” made its first debut at a piano festival in Krakow, Poland.
The Unusual Park at Chateau Clos Luce
Chateau du Clos Luce is surrounded by a huge and fascinating garden (The Leonardo da Vinci Park). The park has beautiful creeks, ponds and waterfalls. There is even a vegetable garden.
But it’s not the beautiful landscape that make the castle grounds so unique. As you walk through these green oasis, you’ll discover an unusual display of art: full-size working machines designed by Da Vinci and recreated by engineers according to the maestro’s drawings.
You’ll also see some of his paintings and sketches on big translucent panels hanging from the trees.
At the bottom of the park there is a columbarium built by one of the first owners of the property. The dovecote is still intact and could house 500 pigeons. In summer the garden hosts evening concerts and other special events.
Practical Information for Visiting the Castle
Le Château du Clos Lucé – Parc Leonardo da Vinci is located at
2, rue du Clos Lucé
37400 Amboise
Val de Loire, France
Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission fee is €3.90/person.
The visitor center provides free guided tours of the château and the park in several languages. Audioguides are also available is 15 languages.
Parking: There is both free and private parking for cars on the rue du Clos Lucé, about 300m on foot from the visitors’ entrance.
A Final Note
Leonardo da Vinci died at Clos-Lucé on May 2, 1519 and was buried in the Saint-Florentin church at the Château d’Amboise.
Although not as impressive as other castles in the Loire Valley , Chateau Clos Luce gives a great insight into the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. And, much like Château de La Ferté Saint-Aubin, Clos Lucé provides a good learning experience for young and old alike.
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Sophie
What a lovely write up, that’s absolutely fascinating and I had no idea about any of that history. The chateau itself looks so beautiful but the gardens with Leo’s work look the most interesting. What an exciting place to visit!
Anda Galffy
Thank you, Sophie. Maybe you’ll get to visit this château someday…
Lauren
I haven’t heard of this place before but thank you so much for introducing me to it! I love the majestic old building and the gardens are beautiful too!
Anda Galffy
Hope you’ll get to visit this château someday.
Marisol@TravelingSolemates
Hi Anda, this is the most fascinating post I’ve read in a while. I have not heard of Clos Lucé before and its connection to da Vincimakes it is profoundly interesting. Much as I admire this great man, I didn’t know he lived in France and died there. I learned a lot about him today. It’s incredible that they finally built viola organista. Thank you for providing the link to the video. I checked it out and the sound of violin coming from a piano was truly amazing.
Anda Galffy
Impressive, Marisol. You are probably the only one who really took the time to read my post through. I’m glad you listened to the viola organist because it is a unique instrument that very few people in the world ever heard about. Thank you for your nice comment.
Mary {The World Is A Book}
Beautiful photos and post of such a fascinating residence. I’m a big fan of chateaus and castles and this one is even more interesting with the DaVinci connection. How neat that the basement has all those completed models. But, what I really love are those translucent panels on the gardens. I learned something more about the Mona Lisa too. Great read!
Anda Galffy
Thank you, Mary. I hope I managed to make some people curious about visiting this beautiful château.
Adrian
What a fun house full of beauty and history. I love Leonardo da Vinci and would love to see a house full of his inventions and art. Thanks for letting me know about it!
Anda Galffy
Thank you for your comment, Adrian. Clos Lucé is a great château.
Rosemary K
I’m glad you gave us more detail. I haven’t been to the Clos Lucé in years but now that we will be living permanently only a half an hour away, it will be the first on my list!
Anda Galffy
Indeed, Clos Lucé will be in your backyard now.
Lyn - A Hole in my Shoe
That sounds like a stunning building Anda and the grounds look so relaxing with all that water and greenery. A great read and I’ve now learnt why da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is in Paris and not Rome, thank you
Anda Galffy
Thanks, Lyn. It’s a great place to visit indeed.
Adelina
I LOVED my visit here. Da Vinci has always fascinated me and going through the exhibits really piqued my interest. Thanks for sharing!
Anda Galffy
Thank you, Adelina. I’ll try to remind you about the post link-up tonight.
Francesca (@WorkMomTravels)
What a gorgeous place! The DaVinci working machines are way cool, too.
Anda Galffy
Thanks Francesca.
Lisa
wow! This place looks beautiful! The detail in the building and the beautiful grounds. I have an addiction with historical locations so this is definitely a place that would be on my list if I was in France.