Leonardo da Vinci's Final Years in Amboise: The Untold Story of Clos Lucé
- Natalija Ugrina
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
When I first walked through the gates of Clos Lucé in Amboise, I wasn't prepared for how intimate it would feel. Leonardo da Vinci Amboise - this is where it all happened. This wasn't some grand museum with velvet ropes and crowds - this was a home. Leonardo da Vinci's home.
The place where one of history's greatest minds spent his final three years in Leonardo da Vinci Amboise, far from his beloved Italy, creating, dreaming, and ultimately, dying.
But as I would soon discover, the story of Leonardo da Vinci Amboise is filled with as much mystery as genius.
The Invitation That Changed History: Why Leonardo Left Italy for France
In 1516, at 64 years old, Leonardo da Vinci made a decision that would have seemed unthinkable to many: he left Italy. The Renaissance master, the man who painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, packed up his life and crossed the Alps into France.
Why?
The answer lies with a young, ambitious king named Francis I. The French monarch was obsessed with bringing Italian Renaissance culture to France, and he wanted the best. He didn't just offer Leonardo a commission - he offered him freedom. No deadlines, no demanding patrons, no pressure. Just a comfortable home, a generous pension of 1,000 gold crowns per year, and the simple title: "First Painter, Engineer, and Architect to the King."
Leonardo accepted.
He made the treacherous journey over the Alps in autumn 1516, reportedly on a mule, carrying with him three paintings he refused to part with: the Mona Lisa, Saint John the Baptist, and the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. These masterpieces would never return to Italy.
Clos Lucé: Where Leonardo Spent His Final Years
Clos Lucé is a beautiful red-brick manor house, elegant and inviting despite its grandeur. It's not intimidating like some châteaux - it feels like a place where someone actually lived and worked. The setting itself is gorgeous, with views across the Loire Valley that must have inspired Leonardo during those final three years.
Inside, you can explore the rooms where Leonardo lived and worked. The ground floor features his living workshops - reconstructions of the bottegas typical of the Renaissance, where you get a real sense of how he spent his days. The first floor holds additional rooms dedicated to his life and work, including spaces decorated with frescoes by his disciples.
What really captivated me were the gardens surrounding the manor. They're absolutely stunning - manicured paths wind through lush greenery, and everywhere you look, there are full-scale models of Leonardo's inventions: a helicopter prototype, a tank, a double-decker bridge, even a mechanical lion. You can touch them, examine them, see how his mind worked centuries before the technology existed to build them properly.
The gardens aren't just beautiful - they're a living museum of genius. This is where I could have spent hours.
The Secret Tunnel: Leonardo da Vinci Amboise's Private Path to the King
One of the most fascinating features of Clos Lucé is something you might miss if you're not paying attention: the underground tunnel.
This 500-meter passageway connects Clos Lucé directly to the Château d'Amboise, the royal residence where Francis I lived. The king had it built specifically so he could visit Leonardo whenever he wanted - and he visited often. Some accounts say they met almost daily.
Imagine that: a king so devoted to an artist that he builds a secret tunnel just to spend time with him.
The relationship between Francis I and Leonardo wasn't just patron and artist - it was something deeper. The king called Leonardo "mon père" (my father), and when Leonardo died in 1519, legend says he died in the king's arms. (Though historians now debate whether Francis was actually in Amboise at the time.)
Walking near the entrance to that tunnel, I felt the intimacy of their connection. This wasn't about power or prestige. This was about two minds that understood each other.
Château d'Amboise: The Royal Fortress Above the Town
If Clos Lucé is intimate and welcoming, Château d'Amboise is the opposite - it's grand, imposing, and undeniably royal. Perched high above the town on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Loire River, the château dominates the landscape. It's impossible to miss, and once you're there, you understand immediately why a king would choose this location.
The views from the château are absolutely stunning. From up there, you can see across the Loire Valley, the town sprawling below, the river winding through the countryside. It's the kind of vantage point that makes you feel like you're seeing everything - which, of course, was exactly the point. A king needed to see his kingdom.
The château itself is a blend of medieval fortress and Renaissance elegance. It's been modified and rebuilt over centuries, which gives it this layered, complex feel. You can sense the history in every stone - this place has seen wars, royal intrigue, political maneuvering, and the rise and fall of dynasties.
But here's what struck me most: so many floors remain closed to the public. As you walk through the accessible areas, you're constantly aware of locked doors, restricted sections, areas you can't explore. It's frustrating in a way - you get this sense that there's so much more to see, so many more stories hidden behind those doors. What's up there? What secrets does the château still keep?
That mystery actually adds to the experience. You're not getting the complete picture, and somehow that makes the place feel more real, more alive.
The Chapel of Saint-Hubert: Where Leonardo's Tomb Rests
Within the château grounds sits the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, a beautiful Gothic structure that's home to one of history's greatest mysteries: Leonardo da Vinci's tomb.
The chapel itself is elegant and peaceful, a quiet space within the grandeur of the château. The marble tomb inscribed with Leonardo's name sits there, and you can feel the weight of history in that moment. This is where one of the greatest minds who ever lived is buried - or at least, where we think he's buried.
But as I looked at that tomb, I felt something unexpected: loneliness. The tomb just sat there, isolated, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Not just Leonardo's presence, but certainty. Answers. Truth.
The Tomb That Stands Alone: Is Leonardo Really There?
This is where my visit to Amboise took an unexpected turn.
The story of Leonardo's burial is complicated and uncertain. We know he was buried with great honor in the Collegiate Church of Saint Florentin at the Château d'Amboise in 1519. But then the French Revolution happened, and the church was destroyed. For centuries, his grave was lost.
Then, in 1863, excavations uncovered a skeleton in the ruins, along with fragments of a tombstone bearing the letters "EO DUS VINC" - part of "Leonardus Vinci."
French authorities declared it was him and reburied the remains in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, where they rest today.
But was it really Leonardo? Some historians are skeptical. The evidence is circumstantial at best. Without DNA testing (which hasn't been done), we can't be certain.
Being there, I was reminded of other famous tombs I've visited where the truth is equally murky - like Abraham Lincoln's tomb in Springfield, where his body was moved multiple times and nearly stolen, or Evita Perón's mysterious 20-year journey before finally being laid to rest in Buenos Aires.
Why is it that history's most iconic figures so often have the most uncertain final resting places?
His Final Inventions and Unfinished Masterpieces
During his time at Clos Lucé, Leonardo continued to work on projects that were centuries ahead of their time. The gardens showcase full-scale models of his inventions, each one more ambitious than the last.
But what strikes me most is what he didn't finish.
Leonardo was famous for leaving projects incomplete, and his final years were no exception. He continued to refine the Mona Lisa, adding layers and adjustments even as his health declined. He worked on architectural plans for a grand château for Francis I at Romorantin - a utopian city that was never built.
There's something haunting about that. All that genius, all those ideas, and still not enough time.
Leonardo's Last Days: What Really Happened in 1519
On May 2, 1519, Leonardo da Vinci died at Clos Lucé. He was 67 years old.
The official story, popularized by Giorgio Vasari, is that he died in the arms of King Francis I. It's a beautiful image - the devoted king cradling his beloved mentor as he took his final breath.
But modern historians have found records showing Francis I was actually at the royal court in Saint-Germain-en-Laye on May 1st, over 200 kilometers away. So if the king wasn't there, who was with Leonardo when he died?
We may never know.
What we do know is that Leonardo was buried with great honor, and the king mourned the loss of the man he called "mon père." But even in death, Leonardo's story remains shrouded in mystery.
Visiting Clos Lucé and Château d'Amboise: What You Need to Know
If you're planning a visit to Amboise (and you absolutely should), here's what you need to know:
Clos Lucé
What to See: Leonardo's living workshops on the ground floor, rooms dedicated to his life and work on the first floor, and the absolutely stunning gardens filled with life-size models of his inventions
Best Photo Ops: The gorgeous manor exterior, the gardens with invention models, and the views across the Loire Valley
My Tip: Give yourself plenty of time for the gardens - they're the highlight. I could have spent hours there exploring.
Château d'Amboise
Don't Miss: The Chapel of Saint-Hubert where Leonardo's tomb rests, plus the beautiful views across the Loire Valley
What You'll Notice: Many floors of the château remain closed to the public, which leaves you with that feeling there's so much more history hidden behind those locked doors
The Views: Absolutely stunning panoramas from high above the town - you can see for miles
Worth Knowing: The château is grand and imposing, a real royal fortress. You get a sense of power and history here that's different from Clos Lucé's intimate feel
The Town of Amboise
At the bottom of the hill, the town itself is charming and absolutely worth exploring. I found wonderful cafés, crêperies, and chocolatiers - perfect for a leisurely afternoon after visiting the château. It's the kind of place where you want to sit with a coffee and just soak in the atmosphere.
Day Trip to Tours
If you have extra time, the nearby town of Tours is also worth seeing. It's close enough for a day trip and offers even more history and French charm.
Practical Information
Getting There: Amboise is about 2 hours by train from Paris, or you can drive through the beautiful Loire Valley
Best Time to Visit: Spring or early fall for pleasant weather and fewer crowds
How Much Time: Plan at least half a day for Clos Lucé and the Château d'Amboise, plus time to explore the town
Worth the Detour? Absolutely. This isn't just another tourist stop - it's a chance to walk where Leonardo walked and see where genius took its final breath.
Where Genius Found Its End
As I left Amboise, I kept thinking about Leonardo's final years. Here was a man who spent his entire life pushing boundaries, questioning everything, creating the impossible. And in the end, he found peace in a small manor house in the French countryside, far from home but close to someone who truly understood him.
The mystery of his tomb, the locked doors of Château d'Amboise, the unfinished projects - they all feel fitting somehow. Leonardo was never meant to be fully understood or completely known. Even in death, he remains just out of reach, leaving us with more questions than answers.
And maybe that's exactly how it should be.
If you're drawn to places where history whispers its secrets, where the line between fact and legend blurs, Amboise is calling. Just be prepared: you might leave with more mysteries than you came with.
Have you visited Amboise or Clos Lucé? What mysteries did you discover? Let me know in the comments below.