the chateau series: clos luce
So what is so important about this chateau??
Chateau du Clos Luce
Leonardo da Vinci lived in this chateau for the last three years of his life, invited to live in France by King Francois I, in 1516.
The man was a genius – well beyond his time; painting, inventing, engineer and architect! And King Francois I thought so too.
We were a little in awe to think that we walked through the same hallways, up the same stairwells as Leonardo da Vinci…. THE Leonardo da Vinci. We even stood in the very room that he slept in.
His bedroom overlooked the garden, apparently he LOVED the view out of the castle.
The rest of the living quarters are much like the others we have shared in the series; kitchen, salon, bedrooms.
But this chateau was unique, in it’s own way!
The basement was the model room for all of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions. These 3D animations were created based on his designs and drawings in his notebooks.
We spent ages in this section completely enthralled by his talented mind and imagination.
Truly a man beyond his era!
(A) Military Armoured Tank
(B) Multiple Direction Machine Gun
(C) Printing Press
(D) The First Car
(E) The Paddle Boat
Then it was into the backyard, where there are life-sized models of his inventions, there are his works and his words – all on display for visitors to wonder around and discover for themselves. It’s a hands-on exhibit with 20 giant working models.
There are 40 translucent canvases that are 3-4 metres high.
His idea of a helicopter….
This place is fascinating in a completely different way to the other chateaux. Nothing quite like it…
Chateau du Clos Luce is approximately 26km east of Tours.
Do you have a favourite artist?
We don’t have one but we certainly found one that we admire immensely after this visit. Leave us a comment.
wise monkeys abroad 
June 21, 2015 at 5:28 pm
Definitely one for the must-do list! Even without the da Vinci connection, it looks a lovely and unusual chateau!
June 29, 2015 at 8:36 pm
Yes – definitely agree with you there 🙂
June 20, 2015 at 2:17 pm
Walking where da Vinci walked would be so exciting. Wonder if his ghost still dwells there? He was a man way ahead of his time. Thanks so much for sharing the pictures and story.
June 29, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Thanks for your comment 🙂 It definitely was exciting to walk through the same corridors and stairwells. Hope you are well!!
June 16, 2015 at 10:00 pm
I love the sense of history you get when looking around places like this. To know that you have stood in the same spot as masters of their time is a pretty cool experience 🙂
June 17, 2015 at 8:55 am
It is very much like that, huh? It’s a surreal feeling knowing how significant some places are… and there were are just standing there soaking it all up!
PS – Congrats on the wedding! And hope you had a fun getaway for your honeymoon 🙂
June 16, 2015 at 9:07 pm
This is my favourite of all your chateaux so far. Leonardo da Vinci really was a genius. We saw an exhibition in Brussels of models of all his inventions and many of these were in it. Such a clever man.
June 17, 2015 at 8:57 am
Ooooh – he was a fascinating man! Wouldn’t you just love to have met him?
This chateaux was so different… it may not have the opulence of the others but because of the Leonardo da Vinci influence… it was truly a treat to visit 🙂
June 17, 2015 at 6:21 pm
I would worry he would find me rather dull!
June 17, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Impossible!!!
June 16, 2015 at 5:22 pm
Love the helicopter 😉
June 17, 2015 at 8:51 am
Which part would you like to be hanging off as you fly over… say the Grand Canyon? 😉
June 17, 2015 at 5:01 pm
Sydney Harbour please 😉
June 16, 2015 at 2:35 am
Awesome! He really was a genius. Those models are very cool.
June 17, 2015 at 8:51 am
Hi Mani – just being at this house really sealed our admiration for him! Pure genius 🙂
June 16, 2015 at 2:12 am
I don’t really have any favorite artist however the fact that Da Vinci walked those halls makes this chateau a must see 😀
June 17, 2015 at 8:53 am
YES!! We totally agree…. just knowing he was present in those very rooms were exciting enough for us 🙂 Hope you are well!
June 15, 2015 at 11:43 pm
Hi Monkeys… 🙂 Yes, Leonardo had to be one of the most creative minds ever. Did a little of his genius rub off? I know he has always inspired me. Thanks for sharing. –Curt
June 17, 2015 at 8:53 am
Hello there Curt! Well, we haven’t come up with any ground-break inventions since we were there… but we have sketeched a few ideas so maybe one day they will be worth something 😉
Probably one of the people we would like to invite to dinner if we could invite anyone (past or present).
June 17, 2015 at 9:15 am
Yes, he would make an interesting dinner guest. 🙂 –Curt
June 15, 2015 at 10:10 pm
This place is indeed fascinating. That model of a helicopter looks sooo interesting. Never would have imagined that it would turn out like the helicopters we have today. Goes to show that great inventions start off in the form of very abstract ideas…anything is possible 😀
There are so many artists in this world…all art like music, painting, sculptures and so on are done by artists so I really don’t think I can pick one. But, I’ve always admired Leonardo da Vinci 🙂
June 17, 2015 at 9:05 am
Leonardo da Vinci is hard not to admire, right?!
And speaking of grat inventions, all those drawings during meetings or napkins… may all be worth something in the future – make sure you keep yours 😉
Hope all is going well for you in Melbourne! We just can’t believe winter is officially here – the evenings are so dark by the time we leave work 😦
June 17, 2015 at 10:20 pm
Hahaha! Those doodles on our notebooks at work. Cheeky thought there, Monkeys. But you never know. Maybe one day they will be worth millions.
It will be terribly cold here next week in Melbourne. Rain and windy and temperatures dropping close to zero at night, 12’C in the day. Brrr. Take care.