Amboise - St Denis

The church of St-Denis, on the outskirts of the town of Amboise to the southeast, is a fine example of Romanesque architecture with Angevin features. It has finely decorated capitals and contains the marble tomb (16th century) with what is said to be a likeness of "la belle Babou", a mistress of Francis I. In the Forêt d'Amboise, a former hunting reserve of the French kings to the south of the town, is the 44m/144ft high Pagode de Chanteloup, built in the late 18th century - all that remains of a large Baroque Château which was built in 1715 but later demolished and used as rubble.