The town of Amboise contains two of our destinations: the castle of Amboise, and the Clos Lucé, the manor that François I gave to Leonardo da Vinci to persuade him to come spend his final years in France.

		As you approach the castle of Amboise the most striking feature is the chapel of Saint Hubert perched on top of the fortifications.
		The entrance to the chapel, dedicated to St. Hubert, the patron saint of huntsmen, recalls the legend of Hubert, out hunting, and meeting a stag with a cross between its antlers.
		The chapel is a delicate late gothic masterpiece.
		And this is where Leonardo da Vinci is buried.
Across from the chapel is the main body of the castle, built based on what Louis IX and Charles VIII saw of the Italian renaissance. Only these two wings are left of what was once a much more extensive castle.
		The Hall of State, where the state council used to meet, features a magnificent fireplace decorated with symbols of the Kings of France
		The guard room has been restored to the way it used to be, but other rooms in the royal apartments show the XIXth century decor from when Louis-Phillipe, last of the Bourbons stayed here.
		To the east of the castle is a garden with a broad terrace overlooking the town and the river.