My Photographer's Soul: Our day in the Loire Valley. First stop Amboise Château Royal

It took us about 2 hours to reach our first Château. Amboise is a beautiful little French town made up of very small one lane roads, homes everywhere, little shops and cafes. The Château Royal is perched high on a cliff. It is the only Château where Gothic and Renaissance architecture are found in the same building.

On the grounds as you up the cobblestone path to the château the first thing you see is The St Hubert Chapel. The chapel, dedicated to St Hubert, the patron saint of hunters, was constructed in 1493 on the foundations of the ancient oratory built under Louis XI. This chapel, designed for the sovereigns' private use, is built in the flamboyant Gothic style. This chapel is famed as the resting place of Leonardo da Vinci, who died in Amboise on 2nd May,1519.

The drive from Paris was very foggy, which really made you feel like you were back in the day of the château.

Walking through Amboise to Château Royal

The entrance to the St Hubert Chapel

On the left side of the château represents the Gothic style and the right is the Renaissance style.

The is the last house of Leonardo da Vinci

One of the gargoyles on the chapel

Inside St Hubert Chapel

Inside the chapel

Looking out up the Loire Valley.

Looking down the Loire Valley

I love this shot of the chapel.

Stain glass inside the château.

Stain glass inside the château looking out at the gardens.

This is the inside courtyard looking down the Loire Valley.

Looking out through the original windows of the château.

Looking through stained glass at the outside of the château.

Looking up at the main entrance to the grounds.

The bust of Leonardo da Vinci. (We noticed on this visit that his name is spelled 2 different ways. Leonard de Vinci and as we know him today Leonardo da Vinci.) Below is his final resting place. The original chapel burned down and the marker was moved to St Hubert, but they still have a marker for the original burial spot.