Chez Leonardo

Today was probably my favourite, so far. I just loved Clos Luce! We tried to get going early, and ended up checking out at about 10:45. We crammed all our our non-essentials into three of our backpacks and left them with the hotel, to pick up later in the afternoon. Finding Clos Luce was not exactly 'evident' but we made it.

It is such a beautiful place. They call it a chateau, but it's really a large house, in my opinion. Part of it was built much earlier by Etienne le Loup (Stephen the Wolf - I know one of those...) and it was so exciting to be where Leonardo spent his last three years. There are quotes of his all over the house. I stood in the bedroom in which he died. The furniture is not his, exactly, but it's all from the same period. It was lovely to wander through the house. On the lowest level are models of his inventions. There was also a set of stairs labelled "secret passage" or something like that, and it clearly led down to a fork. It was so inviting. I heard a frenchman tell his wife that it probably led to the chateau. I repeated to them what the guide had told me the day before, and we both rolled our eyes. Bof! We knew better.... Several minutes after this, Hugo and I stood together at the top of these stairs, just the rope between us and an underground adventure. I'm ashamed to admit that this was not the first time I said this on our trip. "Hugo, if you go down there and have a look, you won't get into nearly as much trouble as I will. If you get caught, I'll pretend to be mad, but I won't really be, and we'll get to find out what's really down there." He agreed immediately, but then I thought better of it, and we decided not to take the risk, given the surveillance videos everywhere.... I admit we did it at Chateau de Vincennes and it worked very nicely. No, that is NOT child abuse, it's one of the benefits of having children. No, I am NOT teaching him to make wrong choices, I'm teaching him to think for himself. Next subject....

I spent too much time in the gift shop, but I bought Mum a lovely birthday present:) I'm still looking for one for Aunty Kath. Afterwards, we enjoyed chocolate crepes in the beautiful rose garden behind Leonardo's house. Gorgeous. We decided that today we'd have afternoon tea at lunch time and lunch later in the afternoon. Afterwards we walked through Leonardo's Park. It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Little brooks bubble through, and there are interesting bridges designed by Leonardo between the willows and the flowers, and the soft green grass. Dotted all over the park are working models of his inventions. There are also little plaques sticking up from the ground where a particular plant grows, with a sketch by Leonardo, and a reference to the paintings which include this plant. There are also places where you can press a button to choose your language, and you will hear him speak, as well as his students, about different principles of light or perspective which are relevant to the landscape in front of you. In another place a huge portrait Ginevra de Benci swings in the breeze, which is something they used to do in his time, apparently. At the very back of the park is a picnic area, and a fun play park which the kids enjoyed. They really loved this place. I would love to go back, already, and just walk around his garden, as he did.

Finally, we had to leave and make our way to the train station. First, Rachel and I bought some shoes at a fantastic sale in Amboise. Later we laughed, because one of Rachel's pairs was made in China. David bought a couple of baguettes, and we went to Aldi, and bought ham, cheese, fruit, drinks and more Choco Biscuits, and had a picnic of sorts at the station. We took the regular train to Saint Pierre des Corps, and then caught the TGV back to Montparnasse. It was all very easy. The train departures are posted like at an airport, so you can see what platform to go to, and people were helpful. The TGV was fun, but it is difficult to really appreciate the speed at which you are travelling. David's GPS said we were doing 300 km/h but it didn't feel like it. You really need the roadrunner to run along side the train, or at least a motorcycle, with the rider's hair blowing up under his helmet, to get a sense of it.

Amboise was so charming, I'm really sorry it was over so fast! It makes me realize how diverse France is, and how there are so many other places to visit!