François I regularly came to stay in Amboise. When you come to visit the château's furnished apartments, it's easy to imagine the sumptuous court feasts that the great monarch used to hold here. At nightfall, from high points in the town, you can see the stone walls of the château daubed in eerie lamplight. While you're in the area, why not look up Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last years in the Clos Lucé Chateau. You get some idea of the genius of the man, who was a close protégé of François I, through his restored frescos and reconstructions of the models of his inventions that are on display. The last vestige of a château inhabited by the Duc de Choiseul, the 18th century
Chanteloup Pagoda reaches 44 metres into the air. The Miniature Châteaux park is a collection of 45 masterpieces, miniature models of château country, with 9000 bonsai trees set over an acre. The attention to detail bears close scrutiny.
