10 Things to Do in Amboise in the Loire Valley, from Leonardo's Tomb to the Market
The short answer. Start at the Château Royal d'Amboise (€17.30), where Leonardo da Vinci lies in the Saint-Hubert chapel, then walk 400 m to Clos Lucé (€20), his last home, with more than 40 of his machines in the park. Add the riverside market on a Friday or Sunday morning, the Pagode de Chanteloup 3 km away, and a Segway ride, wine tasting or balloon flight from town.
Amboise is small enough to cross on foot: the two Leonardo sites are 400 m apart, and the rest fans out from the riverbank. The Loire Valley day tours that start here sit with each item.
Amboise at a glance: the ten, with prices and hours
| Thing to do | Where | Adult price | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Château Royal d'Amboise | In town, above the river | €17.30 | Sept 09:00–18:00; Oct 09:00–17:30 |
| 2. Leonardo's tomb | Inside the château walls | In the château ticket | Château hours |
| 3. Clos Lucé and its park | 400 m from the château | €20 | Sept–Oct 09:00–19:00 |
| 4. Riverbank market | Loire bank | Free | Fri and Sun 08:00–14:00 |
| 5. Pagode de Chanteloup | 3 km out of town | €12 | To 11 Nov 2026 |
| 6. Segway ride | Opposite the tourist office | From $33 | 1 hour |
| 7. Half-day wine tasting | Amboise tourist office pickup | From $167 | 4 hours |
| 8. Balloon flight | Île d'Or, or pickup within 15 km | From $299 | 3–4 hours door to door |
| 9. Loire à Vélo to Montlouis | Riverside cycle route | Free | 15 km |
| 10. Chambord and Chenonceau day | Amboise tourist office, 9:30 | From $234 | 8 hours |
1. Tour the Château Royal d'Amboise
The royal château stands on its rock above the town and the Loire. Your ticket costs €17.30 for an adult, €14.40 for a student and €11 for ages 7 to 18, and under-7s go free. It includes the Histopad tablet, in 12 languages. From the hanging gardens you get a 360° view over a valley listed by UNESCO. It opens 09:00 to 18:00 in September and 09:00 to 17:30 in October; compare the other Loire Valley châteaux.
2. See Leonardo da Vinci's tomb in the Saint-Hubert chapel
The Saint-Hubert chapel was built in 1493 inside the château walls, and it holds the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci, who died in Amboise on 2 May 1519. After restoration it fully reopened to visitors in spring 2024. You need no separate ticket. It ranks among the best things to do in the Loire Valley.
3. Walk to Clos Lucé, Leonardo's last home, and its park
Clos Lucé, at 2 rue du Clos Lucé, is the manor where Leonardo died in his bedchamber. Its Parc Leonardo da Vinci shows you more than 40 machines rebuilt from his drawings.
- Price: €20 adult, €15 ages 7 to 18, €60 family (2+2), free under 7.
- Hours: 09:00 to 19:00 in September and October, 09:00 to 18:00 in November and December; closed 25 December and 1 January.
- Last entry: an hour before closing.
4. Shop the riverbank market on Friday or Sunday
Every Friday and Sunday, all year, the market fills the grande place du Marché on the Loire bank from 08:00 to 14:00. Friday has about 90 traders, mostly food; on Sunday you will find more than 200 stalls. What to buy at the Amboise market is covered separately.
5. Climb the Pagode de Chanteloup
The Duke of Choiseul built the 40 m pagoda in 1775, 3 km from the town centre; it is all that survives of his château, destroyed in 1823. You climb 149 steps for a 360° view of the Château d'Amboise, the forest and the Loire. Rowing boats cost €6 an hour per boat.
- Price: €12 adult, €9 ages 7 to 18, €36 family (2+2).
- Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 in September; in October and to 11 November, 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, closed Monday and Tuesday outside 17 October to 1 November.
6. Ride a Segway along the Loire
The Amboise Discovery Segway is an hour on two wheels from the Freemove shop opposite the tourist office. You ride in a group of up to eight, from age 12, from $33, and can cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Short on time in Amboise?
An hour along the river from $33, rated 4.9 out of 5.
7. Taste Vouvray and Touraine wine on a half-day from Amboise
You need no car to reach the Vouvray and Touraine vineyards. These tastings collect you in town:
- The four-hour wine tour from Amboise: two estates, local wines and delicacies, from $167.
- The afternoon wine tour: adults 18 and over, from $170.
- A private winery day: 3 to 7 hours from your hotel, from $341.
Compare the longer Loire Valley wine tours, or read up on Vouvray and Chinon wines.
8. Fly over the château in a hot-air balloon
The balloon ride near Amboise meets at the Île d'Or campsite or picks you up within 15 km. You get a glass of Champagne or sparkling grape juice and a tasting at Caves Plou et Fils. Children fly from age 6. Allow 3 to 4 hours, from $299 a person. The flights over Chenonceau are on Loire Valley hot air balloon tours.
See the château from the air
Flights depend on calm weather, so book early in your stay to leave a spare morning.
9. Cycle the Loire à Vélo to Montlouis
The 900 km Loire à Vélo passes through Amboise. Its 15 km stage west to Montlouis-sur-Loire is rated relatively easy, 95% smooth surface, and Montlouis station sits on the route. More on cycling and the river, and the guided days elsewhere in the valley on Loire Valley bike tours.
10. Take a château day to Chenonceau and Chambord from Amboise
You can reach Chenonceau and Chambord without a car. These days collect you at the Amboise tourist office at 9:30:
- The Chambord and Chenonceau day runs 8 hours with a driver-guide and includes both entrance fees, from $234. Lunch is extra.
- The Chenonceau, Chambord and Amboise day: guided visits of both, then lunch in Amboise; no Amboise château ticket.
- Chambord and Chenonceau with a château lunch: lunch at Villesavin; admission is not listed, so budget for tickets.
Time for only one? Read Chambord or Chenonceau, or compare Loire Valley châteaux tours.
Both châteaux, tickets included
Eight hours from the Amboise tourist office, from $234 a person.
How many days to give Amboise
The château and Clos Lucé fill a morning and an afternoon; come on a Friday or Sunday for the market. Give a second day to Chenonceau and Chambord, or a balloon and a tasting. Amboise station has direct trains from Paris and Tours. Choose a base with where to stay in the Loire Valley, see Blois, Chinon and Saumur, or plan the Loire Valley with kids.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amboise worth visiting?
Where is Leonardo da Vinci buried?
Can you visit Chenonceau and Chambord from Amboise without a car?
Is the Pagode de Chanteloup open in winter?
Days out that start in Amboise
Amboise Discovery Segway 45mn
An hour on a Segway through Amboise from the riverside shop, past the château walls, for riders aged 12 and over.
From $33 per person
Check Availability
From Tours or Amboise: Loire Valley Wine Tour
Four hours at two wine estates from the Tours or Amboise tourist office, with local delicacies beside the wines.
From $167 per person
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Hot-Air Balloon Ride over the Loire Valley, Amboise or Chenonceau
A balloon flight near Amboise with pickup within 15 km, a glass of Champagne and a cellar tasting, from age 6.
From $299 per person
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Loire Valley Tour Chambord and Chenonceau from Tours or Amboise
About two hours each at Chenonceau and Chambord from Tours or Amboise, with both entrance fees in the fare.
From $234 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: pick the two or three that fit your day in Amboise, then book the rides early. Every fare sits side by side on Loire Valley Tours.