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Le Château du Clos Luce - Parc Leonardo da Vinci

Le Château du Clos Luce - Parc Leonardo da Vinci

Le Château du Clos Luce - Parc Leonardo da Vinci
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksHistory Museums
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
At the invitation of Francis I, Leonardo da Vinci came to live at the Château du Clos Lucé and stayed here for the last three years of his life, devoting himself to perfecting his inventions. Leonardo was prolific and inspired, working as an engineer, architect and theatrical director, organising lavish festivities for the Court. At his residence 300 metres from the Château Royal, he drew up plans for a model château for Francis I in Romorantin and designed the double-helix open staircase in the Château de Chambord.The Château du Clos Lucé is dedicated to showing and explaining to the public the great knowledge acquired by the Italian Maestro.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Top ways to experience Le Château du Clos Luce - Parc Leonardo da Vinci

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  • Patricia O
    298 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Discover Di Vinci in France
    Although the walk from the town center is uphill, it's gradual and there is lots to see on the way. There are some fun little shops and keep an eye out for the troglodyte homes carved into the hill on the left side as you walk up. I always associate Leonardo with Italy, so it was fascinating to see where he lived the last three years of his life. The visit starts in the chateau with furnished rooms and the kitchen was especially interesting. Models of his work are in several rooms. Once you are finished with that, there is the usual pass through the gift shop and then out and down to the gardens. They are beautiful and extensive and there is more food and restrooms and the bottom. It's definitely worth a visit.
    Hello, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience visiting Clos Lucé. We are delighted that you were able to enjoy a visit in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci. Wishing you a pleasant day. We would be happy to welcome you again!
    Written March 28, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 3, 2023
  • Sergei Z
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not exactly castle, but cool place
    In some languages its often called ''castle'' of da Vinci, but its really more like manor house or something like that. Otherwise its very interesting space, both in terms to walk where Leo lived and worked (one of greatest people of all time) + cool models and exposition on his work, not originals, obviously, but still. For us (couple) only minus of whole experience was that we made some mistakes over transport to get to Amboise from Paris, so lost some time and got tired. Be careful on that.
    Hello, We are delighted that you had a pleasant time at Clos Lucé. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We apologize for any transportation inconveniences from Paris. We would be happy to welcome you again. Have a beautiful day.
    Written March 28, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 15, 2023
  • smackinlay
    Bordeaux, France672 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit to understand Leonardo
    Very interesting place which gives a lot of context to Leonardo’s life in his final years. The grounds are great with mock ups of his various inventions . All well presented and the cafe has great galettes for lunch.
    Hello, We appreciate your feedback and are pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Clos Lucé and the “creperie”. We would be delighted to welcome you again and wish you a very pleasant day!
    Written March 28, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 22, 2023
  • Angelo Z
    Crawford, Texas333 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visiting da Vinci
    I’ve had an interest in da Vinci for many years so it was special to visit the place he spend his last years. The house has a mock ups of his work room and his scientific room as well as displays of some of his inventions. The grounds are nice also with displays. Small by comparison to the other chateau’s it would seem a pleasant place to spend your last years.
    Hello. Many thanks. Hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again.
    Written June 11, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 13, 2024
  • SoonerSteve
    Delray Beach, Florida1,826 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Leonardo da Vinci Did It All
    Wow! This is quite a site. You can tour tge home where Da Vinci lived, where he worked, see his designs, and walk the beautiful gardens. It offered far much more than I even expected.
    Hello. Thank you for your visite. We look forward to welcoming you again.
    Written June 11, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 30, 2024
  • Adventurista_12
    Boulder, Colorado254 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cool for adults and especially for kids!
    I enjoyed the chateau and especially the beautiful gardens. Would agree with others that it might be more special for families as kids could run around outside and play with the inventions. There’s also some cool looking toys available in the gift shop that are based on DaVinci’s projects. Even without any kids, I enjoyed the shady stroll through the gardens and learning more about DaVinci’s still very active mind in his last few years.
    Thank you very much for visiting us and for taking the time to write us your kind review.
    Written September 2, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written August 15, 2024
  • Alison L
    Wirral, United Kingdom101 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing place with lots to see and beautiful gardens.
    We visited here for a second time, we took the family about 8 years ago when they were all young and we wanted to revisit whilst in the area to see if it was as good as we remembered it to be. It is still amazing the tour of the house was busy but not overcrowded and we got there early as we knew if would be busy. We queued to get into the house for about five minutes as they slow the amount of people going in. There is lots to see in the house and lots of interaction for our youngest who is 8. Lots of information is provided in French and English. The gardens are stunning and there are exhibits within the garden to look at and again information about these. If you love history you will love this place it’s well thought out and has lots of opportunities to learn about Leonardo da Vinci and French history. There are also lots of areas to sit and enjoy the gardens or have a picnic. There is also a cafe and restaurant on site. It’s all set in the beautiful town of Amboise. The kings chateaux is close to this and last time we visited here too. I would also recommend this place but we had so much to see in the Loire we skipped it this time. We hope to come back next year or year after to visit the Loire again. Great place for family holidays.
    We're delighted to read your feedback. Thank you for visiting us again. We look forward to welcoming you back!
    Written October 10, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written September 8, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles6,546 reviews
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Graham T
Paris, France2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
We arrived at the entrance to the Chateau and paid the 17 euro fee for admission to the Chateau and park. Nobody informed us that there would be a substantial wait time to access the Chateau and also the rooms that are open to visitors.

To get to the Chateau, you have to cross the park which is nice but quite frankly the exhibits that are featured there are only vaguely related to Leonard de Vinci. When we arrived at the Chateau, there was a thirty minute queue to get in.

When you finally enter, there are a series of rooms and you have to queue to access each one. The contents of the rooms are of little interest and the only positive element for us was to have been able to pass through Leonardo's residence. We left as soon as we could and felt very disappointed about the whole visit.
Written August 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CoupeColonel
Blandford Forum, UK427 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
Having arrived at the back gate and been very efficiently welcomed we walked up to the chateau to find that we couldn’t find a way in. All the apparent entry points being marked SORTIE. Eventually we lost patience and went in an out, only to find that it was what we were supposed to do! Extremely frustrating. Once inside it was a beautifully restored building, but too many people and too little opportunity to engage with the (no longer) working models. Parc, shady and well laid out. A good visit but expensive.
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris S
Marrakech, Morocco42 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
Interesting house where Da Vinci spent his last year's. A museum of his work and life size models of his engineering ideas in an expansive garden. Well worth a visit but......No parking facilities for camping cars made the approach exremely unwelcoming. We ignored the " no camping cars" sign on the pay car park and went in anyway through the very narrow automatic barrier gates. There were some other larger motorhomes also parked.
Written June 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, We're delighted to hear that your visit to Le Clos Lucé went well. For your information, Le Clos Lucé offers free private parking for buses, located on rue du Clos Lucé, 300m from the visitors' entrance, where you can also park your motorhome for a short time. We look forward to seeing you again! Have a nice day!
Written March 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Hunza
Paris, France113 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
With the castle, it is the essential visit to make when you come to visit Amboise. That day, there were a lot of people,
May weekend obliges. So, a bit of a queue at the ticket office and, above all, a wait to enter the castle because the spaces are not very big. If the entrance price is quite high because it is a private castle, it is a shame that there is not an agreement with the royal castle of Amboise and Château Gaillard to create a pass with a discount on each entry because, in the end, it's expensive for the day if you want to visit these three sites.
This is where Leonardo da Vinci ended his life. We can see his room and his work workshops have been reconstructed. Many models made from his drawings are presented to us in the basement and, in the park, some are reproduced in life size. Don't miss the Leonardo gallery which is located next to Leonardo's garden.
If the visit to Clos Lucé is very interesting, it is a shame that there are not more guided tours planned on weekends when we know that it will be crowded. It should also be specified in the reduced rates that the validated TER train ticket of the day is part of it.
Google
Written May 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour. Merci de nous avoir partagé votre avis ainsi que pour votre compréhension. Effectivement, la fréquentation du site est importante lors des jours fériés. Les visites guidées sont également proposées le week-end, sauf exception. Nous sommes navrés si ce n'était pas le cas lors de votre venue. Nous veillerons par ailleurs à mieux informer nos visiteurs des tarifs réduits, notamment pour les détenteurs de billets de train TER, en billetterie. Au plaisir de vous recevoir à nouveau.
Written June 11, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dauphin
37 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
We enjoyed the visit to this place steeped in history even though Leonardo da Vinci only lived there at the very end of his life. Well maintained and large garden with pretty bridges and mechanisms but lacking in flowers. We took a guided tour of the house with a top speaker. On the other hand, paying extra to visit the temporary exhibition is not acceptable and should be included in the price.
Google
Written April 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour. Merci d'avoir pris le temps de déposer votre avis. Nous sommes heureux d'apprendre que vous avez apprécié votre visite avec notre guide conférencier. Nous tenons cependant à apporter une précision. Les expositions temporaires que nous proposons sont des événements qui exigent des ressources spéciales pour leur conception, leur organisation et la mise en avant d'œuvres d'art uniques. Ainsi, afin de garantir la qualité et la variété de notre programmation, nous avons instauré un supplément tarifaire pour l'accès à ces expositions temporaires. Nous serions enchantés de vous accueillir à nouveau à l'avenir. Cordialement.
Written May 7, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

braithwaite12
Northampton, UK901 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
A great museum. Difficult to visit if less mobile as a long way from the official car park and up a lengthy hill from both directions. However well worth the effort.
The lovely old building is magnificent and filled with many of Leonardo's possessions/ The basement has a range of his wonderful inventions and is a must for anyone interested in both history and mankind's development. The gardens and cafe are also beautifully designed and maintained.
Written August 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

j_mc431
Paris, France77 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
We thought this was such a lovely place, such a fine idea to showcase these years of da Vinci’s life as well a numerous of his inventions (in small model and large out in the marvelous park). Sadly, we were extremely perturbed by the lack of traffic regulation throughout the visit. No employees seemed to be present apart from the main gate, gift shop and then exhibition entry (I realize this may have to do with necessary cutbacks in these difficult times). This meant that crowds circulated as they saw fit, but the spaces were quite small and should have had number limitations. I was hoping to make a couple of purchases in the gift shop when suddenly about 15 people flooded in at once, which totally packed the place, plus the kids who were doing as they pleased. I left without buying anything and we stuck after that to the park, but it was a bit chilly and we spent less time that we may have in normal circumstances.
Written October 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alison L
Wirral, UK101 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We visited here for a second time, we took the family about 8 years ago when they were all young and we wanted to revisit whilst in the area to see if it was as good as we remembered it to be.
It is still amazing the tour of the house was busy but not overcrowded and we got there early as we knew if would be busy. We queued to get into the house for about five minutes as they slow the amount of people going in. There is lots to see in the house and lots of interaction for our youngest who is 8.
Lots of information is provided in French and English.
The gardens are stunning and there are exhibits within the garden to look at and again information about these.
If you love history you will love this place it’s well thought out and has lots of opportunities to learn about Leonardo da Vinci and French history.
There are also lots of areas to sit and enjoy the gardens or have a picnic. There is also a cafe and restaurant on site.
It’s all set in the beautiful town of Amboise. The kings chateaux is close to this and last time we visited here too. I would also recommend this place but we had so much to see in the Loire we skipped it this time. We hope to come back next year or year after to visit the Loire again. Great place for family holidays.
Written September 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're delighted to read your feedback. Thank you for visiting us again. We look forward to welcoming you back!
Written October 10, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Giga81
Napoli2,012 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
Visiting Leonardo's rooms and laboratories is truly a beautiful experience. For the most interesting moment was in the rooms where his inventions are located which are then reproduced in real size in the large park. I stopped to observe them like a child... The ticket costs 18 euros and it's a high price, if it's the genre you like it's worth it.
Google
Written September 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Salve, La ringraziamo per aver dedicato del tempo a condividere il suo feedback. Lo Château du Clos Lucé è una tenuta storica privata che investe continuamente per migliorare e perpetuare la storia di Leonardo da Vinci nella sua ultima residenza ad Amboise. Siamo lieti che abbiate apprezzato la vostra visita al Clos Lucé. Saremo lieti di accogliervi nuovamente e vi auguriamo una piacevole giornata!
Written March 28, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

ClubEpicuriste
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France5,470 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
Back from the Louvre Museum in Paris, our correspondent, Leonardo, you can't make this up, offers us an outing, to the last resting place of the Italian genius, Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, for us, Leonardo da Vinci, and this in the year 1516, at the Château du Clos Lucé, in Amboise, which is located about thirty kilometers from Tours, in Touraine. We accept, especially since this castle has just served as a reproduction of the sets, for an animated film - Léo, by Jim Capobancio, dedicated to the last years of his life and where the elements of filming are exposed such, the reproduction of the castle, the room, and all the characters who were used in the making of the film. Formerly, this castle was called the Manoir du Cloux and it is listed among the great castles of the Loire. It was in 1854 that the Saint Bris family acquired Clos Lucé, taking over from the Amboise family, owners of the place since the 17th century. The Tuscan Master came to France, at the invitation of the King, Francis I, to work on numerous projects and had, in his luggage, his codices, manuscripts and his 3 major works, which are now preserved at the Musée du Louvre, the Mona Lisa, Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist. At court, the Master held the position of engineer, architect, painter and director of sumptuous parties. He is a prolific and multi-faceted being inspired by the Renaissance, whom we discovered through his workshops and his models of inventions, and especially his 17 masterpieces, presented in an immersive show. The galleries, from his duties at court, explain his creative studies of royal commissions. In the wooded park, too, a real open-air museum, with its machines, which can be manipulated and are life-size. The different rooms of the castle take us into the rich history of the 16th century, with Leonardo's bedroom, the bedroom of Marguerite de Navarre, sister of the king, the kitchen, the council room, to receive distinguished guests, and its inventive creation workshops. The Master, born in 1452, died in 1519, at the age of 67, in his room and was buried in the Saint Hubert chapel of the royal castle of Amboise. A final word, one of the Master's sayings - A busy day gives good sleep, a busy life gives a peaceful death.
Google
Written February 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour, nous vous remercions très chaleureusement pour votre partage d'expériences si riches au Clos Lucé. Nous sommes honorés d'avoir pu vous faire vivre une journée si merveilleuse. Au plaisir de vous accueillir de nouveau au Clos Lucé. Très belle journée à vous !
Written March 12, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Le Château du Clos Luce - Parc Leonardo da Vinci - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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