The Royal fortress of Chinon is built on a hilltop and features three main attractions that are Fort St-Georges, Tour de l’Horloge and Château du Milieu. The tour of the Chinon castle begins from the Fort St-Georges and ends at Fort du Coudray located at the tip of the hill.
Chinon is a town in the Loire Valley of France that is known for its wine. There are many wineries in the area, and it is a great place to learn about wine-making techniques and taste some delicious wines. In addition to wine, there are also a lot of other activities to do in Chinon. You can go on a wine themed escape game, take a horse carriage ride, or visit the “cave de la Sibylle”.
The Chappelle Ste-Radegonde is an exciting sight as it is built in the cave. The Romanesque chapel is almost ruined but still famous for its royal hunt fresco of 12th century. It was constructed around the tomb of the hermit in the 6th century. The Chappelle remains open for a few hours so make sure you plan your visit accordingly.
Just like a real French city, Chinon also has a museum displaying unique artefacts of arts and archaeology. You will see masterpieces of various artists in France. The building of the museum remained the States-General building from 14th to 16ht century.
Collegiale Saint-Mexme is one of the most important religious monuments in Chinon. Although significant art of the church is destroyed yet the destroyed church a sight to see. Attempts to predict the original structure of the church went unsuccessful as the authorities could not gather sufficient data on the structure. However, you can still see the two undestroyed towers and imagine the rest of the structure.
The clock tower of the only castle of Chinon is turned into a museum paying homage to the heroine of the French, the 19-year-old Joan of Arc. She helped Charles VII in fighting the English and ending the hundred years’ war. She was captured by the English and executed on the orders of an English church court. The museum contains details of the 100 years’ war and all its links to Joan of Arc. It also showcases many painting and sculptures of the French heroine.
This small town’s food market is lively and energetic. Vendors come to sell farm-fresh vegetables, fruits cheese, lamb and Loire fish along with many other food items.
If you have planned to explore the Loire Valley, there is no way you can skip the beautiful city of Chinon. The town is small, serene and full of surprise. You can plan a day trip to Chinon easily if you are based in Tours.