Angers to Amboise to Tours – June 8/13

Along the way we drove through the Loire Valley and along the Loire River, through small villages, wide open areas and past many Chateau’s.

We learned that there are 350 Chateau’s in France. Approximately 60% are privately owned, 20% are owned by the local City/Village and 20% are owned by the French Government.

Our morning stop was at the small town of Langeais where we visited the Chateau and had a coffee before heading off to Amboise for lunch.

The Chateau at Amboise was purchased privately and in order for the owner to cover expenses he turned the Chateau into a Rock Quarry and what is left today is only 20% of the original Chateau. We only saw this Chateau from a distance as we did not tour it.

On the way to Amboise you go by villages where people called “Troglodytes” lived. Their homes are tunnelled into the side of the rock cliffs, many are still in use today as evidence by black soot from fires. The history is that at the time they were constructed you were taxed on your property by the size of your roof, so since they had no constructed roof they paid no taxes.

After lunch we boarded the bus to drive to the Chateau Close Luce which is very near the town centre.

Clos Luce was built in 1471 and Francis 1st was raised here. So, when he became King of France he invited Leonardo Da Vinci to come and stay at the Chateau.

Leonardo Spent the last three years of his life at Clos Luce and used it as a teaching academy for other artists. Today the tours takes you through some of the original rooms where Leonardo lived and taught. Much of the furniture is period furniture and although quite worn and tattered it is still beautiful. On display are replicas of 2 of Leonardo’s most famous paintings where they hung when he lived here. The first of course is the “Mona Lisa”and it is said that he was forever changing it as he was never happy with the final results. The second painting is “St John the Baptiste” this painting was the one that Leonardo himself felt was his finest work and most perfect painting.

Today both originals are on display today in “The Louvre”.

Downstairs in the Chateau are replicas of many of Leonardo’s mechanical inventions. Outside are more of his larger works Like his double deck bridge and botanical gardens, etc.

From here we drove to Villandry to see the Gardens of Villandry. The Garden’s are amazing and they go on for ever. There is a Chateau that is part of the gardens and all of it is privately owned.

When they first started to develop the gardens the Government assisted the owner financially. However, they were not allowed to sell the vegetables or produce; this went to the locals and what was left over went to the workers. The gardens have become so popular and world renowned that they no longer require Government support and the owner requested that the funding goes to assist other such garden ventures.

The gardens are all organic and tended by only 10 Gardeners. It has become a status honour to be selected as a Gardener at the Villandry Gardens; it’s right up there with being accepted to work at Versailles.

From here we headed to Tours for our overnight stop.

Before heading to the hotel we stopped in the old town of Tours. We did a quick guided tour of the town centre and then we had time on our own.

The market square had a lot of people sitting out enjoying the late afternoon, eating, having drinks, etc. in addition people were sitting in their houses/apartments leaning out the windows and visiting with others below. We noticed someone setting up some camera equipment and never thought much about it when all of a sudden there was a large noise and a bunch of coloured balloons were released. Then a girl playing the Oboe started to play and pretty soon she was joined by a few playing Violins, a Harp, a Bass Fiddle and French horns.

Then one person started to sing, he was joined by another girl and then they were accompanied by the choir leaning out the windows. All of a sudden there was a large Brass section that joined in with Tuba, Euphonium, Trombones and Reed section of Saxophones and Clarinets. All of these people just appeared out of the market crowd and we finally noticed one young guy who had a microphone headset that was the conductor or choreographer. It was about then we realized that we were right in the middle of a “Flash Mob” and they were performing The Beattles song “All You Need is Love”. It was magical and we were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time. When the song ended everyone cheered and those sitting gave them a standing ovation and then they all simply disappeared into the crowd.