Château Royal d’Amboise

Top choice in Amboise


Perched atop a rocky escarpment above town, Amboise's castle was a favoured retreat for all of France's Valois and Bourbon kings. Only a few of the château's original structures survive, but you can still visit the furnished Logis (Lodge) – Gothic except for the top half of one wing, which is Renaissance – and the Flamboyant Gothic Chapelle St-Hubert (1493), where Leonardo da Vinci's presumed remains have been buried since 1863. The ramparts afford thrilling views of the town and river.

Charles VIII (r 1483–98), born and bred here, renovated parts in the radical new Renaissance style, so recently imported from Italy. In 1560, an unsuccessful attempt by Huguenots to seize power from the ultra-Catholic Guise faction was brutally suppressed, with 1200 summary executions and rebel corpses hung on hooks from the château's façade. The defeated Algerian anti-colonial leader Abd el-Kader was imprisoned here with a large entourage from 1848 to 1852.

Brochures are available in 16 languages, audioguides in 12. An audioguide for children is available in English and French. Kids aged 10 to 15 may enjoy the interactive tablet-computer circuit (in French with English subtitles; €5), set in the year 1518. The château hosts lots of cultural events (eg concerts).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Amboise attractions

1. Le Clos Lucé

0.38 MILES

It was at the invitation of François I that Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), aged 64, took up residence in this grand manor house, built in 1471. An admirer…

2. Château Gaillard

0.69 MILES

The most exciting Loire château to open to visitors in years, Gaillard is the earliest expression of the Italian Renaissance in France. Begun in 1496, the…

3. Pagode de Chanteloup

1.67 MILES

Three kilometres south of Amboise, this seven-storey, vaguely Asian 'pagoda' (44m) was built between 1775 and 1778, when blending classical French…

4. Château de Chenonceau

7.27 MILES

Spanning the languid Cher River atop a graceful arched bridge, Chenonceau is one of France's most elegant châteaux. It's hard not to be moved and…

5. Château Moncontour

9.44 MILES

This wine estate has a wine museum and offers tastings; the ridge-top château is not open to the public.

6. Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

10.27 MILES

Set on a strategic bluff with sweeping views along the Loire, Chaumont-sur-Loire is known for three things: the château itself, which has a medieval…

7. Caves Monmousseau

10.99 MILES

Perched quietly beneath an imposing 12th-century donjon (keep), the town of Montrichard, 9km east of Chenonceau, is a perfect spot for a fizzy break. Just…

8. Château de Montpoupon

13.29 MILES

Idyllically situated amid rolling countryside near Céré-la-Ronde, this turreted château, furnished by the family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "france/the-loire/amboise/attractions/chateau-royal-d-amboise/a/poi-sig/1196836/359307",
      "destination": "Amboise",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "France",
      "city": "Amboise",
      "position": "superzone"
    }