View of the north side of Chinon, looking east from the Château

Chinon is a city in the departement of Indre-et-Loire on the Loire Valley.

Understand

Interior of the Church of Saint-Étienne

It was in Chinon’s remarkable medieval fortress that Joan of Arc recognised a disguised Charles VII as the future king of France. Leaving its walls, the quaysides of the River Vienne lead to the medieval alleyways of Old Chinon, where visitors will be enchanted by the spirit of Rabelais and the renowned local wine.

See

View of the Château

• The Château of Chinon
• Old Chinon
• Wine and Cooperage Museum,
• Folk Museum

Do

Maison aux dragons engoulants, one of the various historic houses in Chinon

Drink

Chinon wines are very tasty and quite well-liked in France. Take advantage of the opportunity to drink some while you're visiting, as you may find some of these wines at a hefty markup when you get home.

Sleep

• The bed and breakfast La Milaudière[1] near Chinon, a typical farm of XV-XVIII the century, has seven rooms.

Go next

All the following cities are no more than 1 hour 20 minutes' drive from Chinon:

• Tours
• Saumur
• Angers
• Poitiers

One of the best things to do is drive along the Loire and visit other châteaux and charming small towns along the way.

Also, many wineries can be visited in this prime wine-growing region.