Amboise - Chateaux Chaumont et Amboise

We went for a drive upstream along the Loire this morning. Phil visited le Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire while I went birdwatching. I saw Black Terns and a Pintail (duck). Phil saw architecture and views. Phil took these photos of the Loire where I was birding. Like the swans? Les cygnes en ligne!

Chaumont has an impressive location, high above yet overlooking the Loire River.

Chaumont is currently host to a contemporary art exhibition, which rather spoiled the interior for Phil. The stained glass window was part of a door leading to the Great Saloon. They certainly knew how to build an impressive fireplace!

On the way home, I finally got a shot that I've been trying to get since we arrived in the Loire Valley.

After lunch, we wandered over to le Chateau Royal d'Amboise. France was ruled from here for a while. King Charles VIII set up his court here in 1491. Many of the kings of France were born and/or raised in the chateau. When Francois I ruled, he invited Leonardo da Vinci to come and live in Amboise (he gave him a manoir to live in). Leonardo lived here from 1516 (aged 64) until his death in 1519. Some photos of the exterior of le Chateau d'Amboise (including the gardens).

Some photos of the interior, with yet another impressive fireplace, but this one had a real fire in it!

And some photos looking from the ramparts and towers towards Amboise and the Loire River.

Some more shots of La Porte Bleue, our apartment - the first one taken from the tower at the Chateau. The building is directly to the right of the stairs; the two windows either side of the blue door are ours.

 And a final couple of shots - some half-timbered houses in the main street, a statue of Leonardo da Vinci on the riverbank, and the evening view of the Chateau d'Amboise from our window.