The Barefoot Blogger is off to explore the middle of France: the chateaus and vineyards of the Loire Valley.
My good friend Nancy McGee of Absolutely Southern France is with me on the three-day adventure. Theย tour expert extraordinaire and I started on the three-day trip, including two days on either end, from Sete, where I drove to meet her.
Our home base on this trip is an Airbnb ‘chalet’ in Amboise. From there, we can easily reach more chateaus and wine than cram into three days.
Chateaus and Vineyards of the Loire Valley
Chรขteau Royal du Amboise
The Chateau Amboise is in the center of the charming city with its exact name. The first trenches of the chรขteau were built in the 4th century to defend the town’s residents.
The chรขteau was the home and place to stay for the Valois and Bourbon kings. Charles VIII was born here. King Francis and the children of Henri II and Catherine de Medici were raised here. Leonardo da Vinci, a friend of King Francis’s, is buried on the property.
The Chateau
Gardens at Chateau de Amboiseย
Although it was an overcast morning, views of the gardens at Chateau de Amboise were dramatic.
Bidding Chateau de Amboise “avoir,” the town of Amboise was the next stop.ย
Chateaus and Vineyards of the Loire Valley
Chateau Clos Luce and da Vinci
The small chรขteau, Clos Luce, is within easy walking distance of downtown Amboise. It was here that Leonardo da Vinci, the invited guest of King Francis I, lived between 1516 and 1519 when he died. The castle itself houses over 40 of da Vinci’s inventions. An audio-visual presentation of his life and work by IBM instructs tourists as they move through the rooms.
(From this point, I changed cameras. More photos later!)
A surprise at the wine cave
After a day of chรขteaux, it was wine time at the nearby wine bottler and merchant recommended in the Rick Steves travel guide.
To our surprise, we met up with a most unexpected celebrity who, rumored to be depressed and somewhere in hiding, we persuaded to join us.
Stayed tuned…
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