Where are Holmes, Morse and Lewis when you need them? The magnificent bronze on the banks of the Loire in Amboise poses many riddles.

Nobles vied with each other to be invited to the royal court in Amboise. With no room for them in the Château, they built their own to be near, which is why there are so many in this area. The aristocracy spent fortunes and waited months on end to meet François, yet here was Leonardo, a man of low birth with daily access to the King.

The Loire Valley is hosting hundreds of events to celebrate the momentous occasion but would be visitors may be hard pressed to find a room in Amboise. Hotels, filled to bursting, some with camera crews from lands far away including South Korea report full house well into October. When the visitors have gone home, the old Château will still be presiding over the picturesque town and the mighty Loire as it has for a thousand years.