Ok so I arrive at Chinon, do not recall if ever been here or just past by it. So many castles and towns in the valley of the kings , the Loire valley. Anyway this was one of my intended stop this time around. We took off in our road warrior ways and actually came twice to Chinon, one for the monuments and one for the fortress. Therefore, this post will be on curiosities of Chinon, part I !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
Chinon is located in the Indre-et-Loire department, 37 in the Centre-Val de Loire region. 47 km from Tours, 30 km from Saumur, 80 km from Angers, 85 km from Poitiers, and 305 km from Paris, Also about 314 km (about 195 miles) from my house, It is crossed by the Vienne river for 7.1 km. We like to go on the D751 linked to Tours, which partly bypasses the city. Also,alternatively is possible to reach Saumur by the left bank of the Vienne river on the D947 or by the right bank of the Loire river D952 road. Chinon is located in the heart of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine regional natural park, on the edge of a vast national forest extending to Azay-le-Rideau and which once extended to the castle. Placed on the course of the Vienne, in a strategic position on the borders of Touraine, Anjou and Poitou, endowed with a rocky outcrop fortified since Antiquity, Chinon with its imposing fortress, has long played a key defensive role. It was one of the favorite strongholds of the Plantagenets. Jean sans Terre lost it to Philippe Auguste, who added it to the domains of the Crown of France.
The main thing to see here is the Royal Fortress of Chinon (see post). . And of course, one of the best wines from Chinon; Domaine Couly-Dutheil and its Clos de l’Echo vineyards!
Musée animé du Vin et de la Tonnellerie or sort of Lively Museum of Wine and Cooperage has been opened since June 1, 1979, this museum is the work of one man. Chinese of origin. Over the course of five years, he gathered all the tools presented and 2,500 hours of work were necessary for the realization of the fourteen automatons, thanks to which come to life the utensils that were used, at the end of the last century, in the manufacture of wine: barrel , press, bowl, gin, etc. Interesting !
The maison bleue or blue house is located at 34 rue Voltaire, on the corner of rue Jeanne-d’Arc and Grand Carroi. The house was likely built in the 15C, but only its facade retains its original appearance. Local tradition holds that Joan of Arc, upon arriving in Chinon, stepped onto the rim of a well located next to this house to dismount from her horse. She stayed at a nearby inn before meeting Charles VII at the castle. This rim was removed in the 19C, but was later rebuilt. Its nickname, “the Blue House,” refers to the slates that partially cover its walls.
Carroi Museum In the heart of the historic city, the house of the States-General, dating from the 14-15-16C, is one of the most representative buildings of Chinese architecture. It was there that Charles VII united the States-General in 1428, in order to convince them of the need to raise the money necessary for the fight against the English and the Burgundians. Became an inn in the 17C, then a bakery from the end of the 19C until 1968 !! , the building, restored in the 1970s, houses the Carroi museum. It offers the visitor collections of works of art and objects illustrating the history of the city and its country, from prehistory to the 19C. Hispano-Moorish fabric from the 12C, decorated with confronted cheetahs, chained and accompanied by elements evoking hunting. a portrait of Rabelais painted in 1833 by Eugène Delacroix for the town of Chinon, in which is represented an image both traditional and romantic of the great “master François”. This table adorns the room of the States-General; Langeais earthenware, religious statuary, objects linked to compagnonnage (artisans builders of France).
The Statue of Rabelais , inaugurated in 1882 at the outlet of the Place du Général de Gaulle, the statue of Rabelais represents the child of the country seated, in a doctor’s dress, holding a feather in his hand. The bas-reliefs on the plinth recall his different activities: a dissection, Gargantua and mottos recalling his contribution to humanism. The Equestrian statue of Joan of Arc was inaugurated on August 13, 1893 ; this bronze equestrian group, seven meters high and weighing 7 tons, had been exhibited in Paris for the celebrations of July 14, 1893. Despite all the attempts it had been impossible to ship it by rail, therefore strong Percherons horses, attached to a sturdy car, had transported it to its current location, the current Place Jeanne d’Arc. The Maid is represented in the saddle, holding her sword in her right hand and in her left brandishing her standard. Her horse passes over the bodies of two English soldiers lying on the ground.
Sacred Heart of Chinon is a statue perched on the hillside and erected on a private site to implore divine protection during WWII. Completed and blessed in June 1941, the statue, which recalls by its pose the Christ of Corcovado, was executed in cement projected with a trowel on a metal frame and modeled on the spot ! Instead of climbing there is a nice fountain in pl du Gen de Gaulle in front of city hall and market spot.
The City of Chinon on its heritage : https://www.ville-chinon.com/loisirs/tourisme-et-patrimoine/decouvrir-ma-ville
The official wines of Chinon ; https://www.chinon.com/experimentez-chinon/10-bonnes-raisons-de-venir/
There you go folks, this will be my introduction to Chinon, promise other posts will be shorter lol! There is so much to see here and so much architecture and history, really a blog on it will be more suitable. I try to give you a taste of what I think are the best of Chinon in this and my future posts. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Chinon, part I !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 