Castles & tourist sites

In 1516, Leonardo da Vinci accepted the invitation of Francis I and moved to the Château du Clos Lucé in Amboise, where he worked on numerous projects for the King. From Rome he brought his notebooks and three of his major works: the Mona Lisa, the Saint Anne and the Saint John the Baptist, now in the Louvre. Prolific and inspired, he worked as an engineer, architect and stage director, organising sumptuous festivities for the court. On 2 May 1519, he died in his bedroom. The house, its park - a veritable open-air museum - and the Leonardo da Vinci Painter and Architect Galleries invite you to discover the many facets of this genius through his restored workshops, models of his inventions and an immersive show presenting his 17 masterpieces...

The fortress, with its majestic position overlooking the town, built by Count Thibaut I of Blois, invites the visitor into the heart of France’s and England’s history. The court of Henry II Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine was established here in the 12 century.

The Azay-le-Rideau castle estate invites you to enjoy a unique visiting experience: admire the sculpted facades, discover the 19th century decorations on the ground floor and the Renaissance room on the first floor, and don't miss the original framework from the early 16th century. Finally, stroll through and contemplate the romantic flowered park and extend your discovery to the press: "multimedia interpretation space"...

In the heart of Angers, a city of art and history, enter the vast fortress overlooking the River Maine. Marvel at the elegant buildings and gardens of the court castle of the Dukes of Anjou and admire the largest surviving medieval tapestry: the Apocalypse hanging.