Château d'Amboise

About this place

The Château d'Amboise is a royal château on a rocky spur above the Loire in the town of Amboise, central France, about 23 km east of Tours and 190 km southwest of Paris in a straight line. The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The crown seized the château in the 15th century, and it became a favourite royal residence and was extensively rebuilt; King Charles VIII died there in 1498. It declined from the second half of the 16th century and most of its inner buildings were later pulled down, but some survived and were restored along with the outer ring of towers and walls. It has been an official historic monument since 1840. The château rises with white stone walls and steep dark slate roofs above the riverbank, and from the river its long facade and massive round towers stand over the town. In its neat gardens on the high terrace stands the small Gothic Chapel of Saint-Hubert with its fine stone carving. Visitors tour the furnished rooms, gardens and terraces, and climb the huge tower whose inner ramp once carried horses and carriages. The terraces look out over the Loire, the bridge and the old town, and the opposite bank gives the finest view of the château in the evening.