Chateau du Clos Luce'

I'd like to think that I am a deep minded person, yet after a day like today, it's quite easy for me to admit that I am a simple minded person.

The world of Leonardo Di'Vinci (literally Leonardo of Vince or from Vince, Italy), is mind blowing.  What this man was able to paint, sketch, dream, invent, create in one lifetime is overwhelming.  The subjects he touched:  anatomy, engineering, architecture, fine arts, horticulture, psychology, to name a few mezmorized all of us including three year old, Anthon.

Today we toured the home, Le Clos Luce'. This Chateau was built in 1471 and for 200 years was a royal summer residence of the Kings of France.  Le Clos Luce' was gifted to Leonardo by Francios I, King of France, who appreciated his genious and lured him to France away from Italy.  Photos were prohibited inside his home.

A front view of the Chateau du Clos Luce'

On the Gallery, a covered bridge, from the watch tower to the house 

We toured his workshop, admiring his inventions which included:  the parachute, the helicopter, a flying machine, the bicycle, various moving bridges, a machine gun, a tank, a breach loading cannon, an automobile, a catapult, a canal system, ball bearings, a cam shaft, a double hulled boat, to name a few.

A pivoting bridge

A double decked bridge

We played on and operated many of his machines.

Leonardo's Helicopter

The Tank

The Canon

Archimede's Screw:  used to move water to a higher level

Another view of Archimede's Screw

3-D Viewing Device

A Treadmill used to power a pulley
Heeve hoe, heeve hoe, children!

Paddle boats to replace man powered oars

We ate a delicious lunch of crepes....and we are happy to report that the children are branching out, trying fromage, apricot and carmel crepes.  Matt and I are becoming crepe connaisseurs with egg, fromage, tomatoes, mushrooms....

France is doing wonders for the boys table manners.  We've pointed out little French
 boys who use their forks and knives to cut and eat their frites (French fries).
Now they are using their forks and knives for everything!

We finished our visit touring his gardens and playing on an ingenious playground....which we tried to tell the children was built by Leonardo himself.  Wonder who fell for that?

With delightfully moderate overcast weather it was a perfect day before we begin our final preparations to leave St. Aignan and head down south to the Provence region and the road trip of all road trips through 10 countries as we head to Paris for our final week.

A quick stop off to the Cathedral in Amboise on the way home.

Anthon, AKA Bruiser, has had a few too many run ins with the
cobblestone streets and has lost every single one.

"Hey, will a little Holy Water prevent scaring?"

To all of our Catholic Friends:    Please forgive us for our brief lack of reverence at our 17th Cathedral in the past two weeks.  This is what happens when the mother stays in the car with a sleeping son and the father takes the other three restless natives in......

Grace:  "Father, forgive me I have sinned."
Anthon:  "Father, forgive me for hitting my sisters and brother, again."

Grace:  "Really, it wasn't THAT bad."
Anthon:  "Okay, that's all taken care of.  What else can I climb on around here?"

Grace:  "I MEAN, it wasn't that bad.  Really!"
Emmeline:  "Okay, just checkin' in here." 

Emmeline:  "Okay.  I'm all good then.  Great.  Thanks a lot."
Grace:  "PLLEEEEAAASSE!  Just say I'm forgiven!"