Amboise: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Amboise is a small town with an outsized history: for half a century it was the favourite home of the French kings. Charles VIII rebuilt the castle, François I grew up in it, and it was François who invited Leonardo da Vinci to spend his last years here. Everything is within a short walk of the bridge. Do the castle in the morning and the Clos Lucé in the afternoon.
A short history of Amboise
A fortress already stood on the cliff above the Loire in Gallic times, and the royal château was built in the 15th century. In 1470 Charles VIII was born here, and in 1498 he died here after striking his head on a low lintel. In 1516 Francis I invited Leonardo da Vinci to live at the Clos Lucé manor near the château, and Leonardo lived there until his death in 1519 and was buried in the château's chapel. In 1560 the Protestants' Conspiracy of Amboise failed here, and the conspirators were hanged from the château's balconies.
The ten best sights in Amboise
1Château d'AmboiseThe royal castle on the rock over the Loire; the terrace view alone is worth the ticket
2Château du Clos LucéLeonardo da Vinci's last home; models of his machines fill the park
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3Chapelle Saint-Hubert
The little Gothic chapel on the castle ramparts where Leonardo is buried
4Collégiale Saint-DenisA Romanesque church at the west end of town, with a striking marble figure inside
5Tour de l'HorlogeThe old town gate over the shopping street
6Château de ChenonceauThe château built across the river Cher, 11 km south; go early or late
7Château de Chaumont-sur-LoireA castle on the cliff 16 km upstream and the summer garden festival
8Cité royale de LochesA walled medieval town 32 km south with a huge keep
9Pagode de ChanteloupA Chinese-style tower in a park; climb it and borrow wooden games on the lawn
10Mini-Châteaux Val de LoireScale models of the Loire châteaux in one garden; good with children
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Amboise →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Amboise:
Free walking tours in Amboise
Kings and Leonardo
Amboise is a small town with an outsized history: for half a century it was the favourite home of the French kings. Charles VIII rebuilt the castle, François I grew up in it, and it was François who invited Leonardo da Vinci to spend his last years here. Everything is within a short walk of the bridge. Do the castle in the morning and the Clos Lucé in the afternoon.
- Tour de l'Horloge · The clock tower was built at the end of the 15th century as a gate in the town walls. Its bell has rung the hours over the main street ever since, though the walls around it are long gone.
- Château d'Amboise · Charles VIII was born in the castle in 1470 and died here in 1498, after striking his head on the stone lintel of a low doorway on his way to watch a game of tennis. He was 27.
- Chapelle Saint-Hubert · Leonardo was first buried in the church of Saint-Florentin inside the castle, which was later demolished. In the 19th century bones believed to be his were found in the ruins and laid here.
- Château du Clos Lucé · Leonardo arrived in 1516 at the invitation of François I, crossing the Alps with the Mona Lisa among his paintings. He lived in this house until he died on 2 May 1519.
- Fontaine de Max Ernst · The surrealist painter Max Ernst lived in Touraine in the 1950s and 60s and gave this fountain to Amboise in 1968. Its turtles and strange figures are meant to amuse, and the dedication praises 'spitters, jokers and genius'.
- Collégiale Saint-Denis · Inside lies the 'Femme noyée', a 16th-century marble figure of a woman lying as if drowned. Her real identity is not known, which has fed local legends for centuries.
Châteaux of the Cher and the south
South of Amboise the land rises into forest, then drops to the valley of the Cher. On the far side lies the Touraine of fortresses: keeps built a thousand years ago by the warring counts of Anjou. This loop goes from the Loire cliff of Chaumont to the walled town of Loches, with Chenonceau in between. Return by the Pagoda for the sunset.
- Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire · Diane de Poitiers received Chaumont in 1560 in exchange for Chenonceau, forced on her by the queen. She found it too austere and lived instead at her own château of Anet.
- Donjon de Montrichard · The square keep over the town was begun by Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou, around the year 1000. He built a chain of such stone keeps across Touraine to hold his conquests.
- Château de Chenonceau · In the Second World War the Cher marked the line between occupied and free France, and the gallery over the river had a door at each end. The owners let people cross through it to escape to the free zone.
- Château de Montrésor · In 1849 the Polish count Xavier Branicki, exiled after the uprisings against Russia, bought Montrésor. His family still owns it, and the rooms are full of Polish portraits and treasures.
- Cité royale de Loches · Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, was held prisoner at Loches by Louis XII and died there in 1508. The walls of his cell are still covered with the paintings and inscriptions he made.
- Pagode de Chanteloup · The Duke of Choiseul, Louis XV's minister, was exiled to his estate here in 1770. He built the 44-metre pagoda as a monument to the friends who stayed loyal and came to visit him.
Wine and tufa
The Loire cliffs between Amboise and Tours are made of tufa, a soft white limestone that is easy to cut. It built the châteaux, and the holes it left became cellars, houses and wine caves. This route follows the north and south banks past the wine villages of Montlouis and Vouvray. Taste, don't drink: the roads are narrow.
- Château-Gaillard · Charles VIII brought the Neapolitan gardener Pacello da Mercogliano back from his Italian wars. At this estate Pacello grew citrus trees, among the first orange trees raised in France.
- Caves Ambacia · The cellars of Amboise were quarried for the stone of the castle and the town. Inside the rock the temperature stays around 12 degrees all year, ideal for keeping wine.
- Aquarium de Touraine · The aquarium shows the fish of the Loire and of rivers around the world. Its big tanks include pike, catfish and sturgeon, fish that once lived in the Loire itself.
- Château de la Bourdaisière · Gabrielle d'Estrées, the beloved mistress of Henri IV, was born in this château in 1573. Today its gardens hold a conservatory of hundreds of tomato varieties.
- Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray · Vouvray is made from a single grape, Chenin Blanc, and can be bone-dry, sweet or sparkling. The cooperative's wine ages in galleries dug deep into the tufa hill.
- La Lanterne de Rochecorbon · The slender tower on the cliff edge is the last piece of the medieval castle of Rochecorbon. Below it, houses are still built straight into the rock face.
Getting to Amboise and getting around
- Gare d'Amboise · Across the river on the north bank; regional trains to Tours (20 min) and Blois
- Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps · The TGV station for Tours, 19 km away; fast trains to Paris and Bordeaux
Cheap eats in Amboise
Touraine has been called the garden of France, and Amboise eats from it: goat's cheese, river fish, mushrooms grown in the tufa caves and wine from both banks. The pork specialities of Tours, rillettes and rillons, are on every menu. The street below the castle is full of crêperies and cafés for a quick lunch. On Sunday the riverside market is the best lunch in town.
- L'Horloge · Bakery under the clock tower; a sandwich about €4-6
- La Clef des Champs · Bread and tarts at the west end, about €2-6
- Les 4 saisons - crêperie · Galettes below the castle, about €9-13
- Café des Sports · Locals' café; coffee about €2
- Amorino · Ice cream shaped like a flower, about €4-6
- Marché des Berges de la Loire · Sunday picnic shopping: cheese, bread, fruit about €10-15
Museums in Amboise
- Château d'Amboise · Ride down the great horse ramp of the Minimes tower
- Château du Clos Lucé · Leonardo's bedroom, workshop and kitchen
- Château de Chenonceau · The kitchens inside the bridge piers are a highlight
- Cité royale de Loches · The tomb of Agnès Sorel in the royal lodge
- Château de Montrésor · A village château with a Polish story
Things to do in Amboise with kids
- Château du Clos Lucé · Children can turn and push the life-size machines in the park
- Mini-Châteaux Val de Loire · See all the châteaux in an hour
- Aquarium de Touraine · A rainy-day plan with big tanks
- Pagode de Chanteloup · Climb up, then play the old wooden games on the lawn
- Île d'Or · A playground and river walk with the castle in view
Nature and day trips near Amboise
- Forêt d'Amboise · Long straight forest rides for cycling
- Château de Chenonceau · Two rival gardens and a maze
- Château de la Bourdaisière · Tomato and dahlia gardens in late summer
- Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire · The garden festival from April to November
- Île d'Or · Loire à Vélo path along the island
Where to eat in Amboise
- Le Lion d'Or · Classic French dinner by the bridge
- Chez Bruno · Wine bar with Loire bottles and small plates
- L'Épicerie · Touraine cooking in a half-timbered house below the castle
- La Réserve · Modern French plates on the main street
- Premier Cru · Wine-focused dinner near the clock tower
Frequently asked questions about Amboise
What is there to see in Amboise?
The top sights in Amboise are Château d'Amboise, Château du Clos Lucé and Chapelle Saint-Hubert. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Amboise?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Amboise without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Amboise?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Amboise, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Kings and Leonardo.
How do you get to Amboise and get around?
The main ways are Gare d'Amboise and Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Amboise, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Amboise that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Amboise for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.