Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
activitiesandelaboratebigtoys,andlotsofsummereventssuchasfencingdemonstrations
and candlelit visits.
Cost and Hours: €12 includes audioguide covering château and gardens, candlelit
visits-€16 (summer only), ask about family rates, daily June 9:30-18:30, July-Aug
9:30-19:00, April-May and Sept 10:00-18:00, Oct 10:20-17:30, closed Nov-March, tel. 02
54 00 15 69, www.chateau-valencay.fr .
West of Tours
Chinon
This pleasing, sleepy town straddles the Vienne River and hides its ancient streets under
a historic royal fortress. Henry II (Henry Plantagenet of England), Eleanor of Aquitaine,
Richard the Lionheart, and Joan of Arc all called this town home for a while. Today's
Chinon (shee-nohn) is best known for its popular red wines. But for me it's also a top
home base for seeing the sights west of Tours: Azay-le-Rideau (sound-and-light show),
Langeais, Villandry, Chatonnière, Rivau, Ussé, and the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud.
Each of these worthwhile sights is no more than a 20-minute drive away. Trains provide
accesstomanychâteaux(viaTours)butaretime-consuming,soyou'rebetteroffwithyour
own car or a minivan excursion (see “Chinon Connections,” later).
Orientation to Chinon
Chinon stretches out along the Vienne River, and everything of interest to travelers lies
between it and the hilltop fortress. Charming Place du Général de Gaulle—ideal for café-
lingering—is in the center of town. Rue Rabelais is Chinon's traffic-free shopping street,
with restaurants, bars, and cafés—as lively as they can be in peaceful Chinon.
Tourist Information
The TI is in the town center, near the base of the hill and a 15-minute walk from the train
station. You'll find chambre d'hôte listings, wine-tasting and bike-rental information, and
an English-language self-guided tour of the town (May-Sept daily 10:00-19:00; Oct-April
Mon-Sat 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Sun; in village center on Place Hofheim, tel.
02 47 93 17 85, www.chinon-valdeloire.com ) . Free public WCs are around the back of the
TI.
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