리비에르‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪11‬개의 동굴

We visited the castle in July 2025, the moat is empty and it all locked up but unoccupied. Its worth having a look at because you can get a good view through the front fence and gate.

History in brief Antiquity: the site is strategically located on a promontory and has been inhabited for 3,000 years. It was not fortified until the end of the Roman Empire. Middle Ages: in 1154, the new King of England, Henry II Plantagenet, became ruler of an empire stretching from Scotland to the Pyrenees and made Chinon his continental capital. He had a large palace built next to the fortress, which has now disappeared. In 1189, abandoned by his sons, Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland, and fleeing from the King of France, he eventually died there. Philippe Auguste had the defensive Tour du Coudray built there after the siege of 1205. Renaissance: in 1454, the fortress became the main residence of Queen Marie d'Anjou, who lived there without her husband. She spent lavishly on decorating the house to her taste. From the 16th century onwards, the fortress was gradually abandoned and fell into disrepair. Despite the dangerous nature of the terrain, it became a public promenade in 1824 and was listed as a monument in 1840. The restoration of the estate began in 1854 thanks to the efforts of the writer Prosper Mérimée. Source: https://loirelovers.fr/en/visit-royal-fort-chinon/

Beautiful gardens and an art collection in the castle.

The road out of Chinon towards the Loire, to get back on the Eurovelo 6 (towards Tours) had huge hills beyond my skill set with a lot added bike. Check elevations. I ended up catching a train two stops.

Worth it

Chinon is a town of 8000 inhabitants. It is famous for its castle which overlooks the Vienne river. There are all amenities in the town, such as shops, cafes and restaurants. There are many cultural activities in Chinon, before going there you can consult the agenda here: https://www.ville-chinon.com/loisirs/agenda

The fortress site has been occupied for three thousand years. The castle itself took shape between the 6th and 10th centuries.

Very nicely restored castle with an interesting art collection and beautiful gardens