Château de Chinon
Château de Chinon is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Loire Valley audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type castle
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Loire Valley Loire Valley guide
About Château de Chinon
Chinon is a long royal fortress on a ridge above the Vienne, best known for the day in 1429 when Joan of Arc came to meet the future king.
The royal fortress of Chinon stands on a rocky ridge above the river Vienne. A castle was founded here by Theobald I, Count of Blois, in the tenth century, and in the eleventh it passed to the counts of Anjou. Henry II of England took it from his brother Geoffrey in 1156, and most of the surviving structure dates from his reign. The fortress falls into three enclosures divided by deep dry moats: Fort Saint-Georges, the Château du Milieu, and the Fort du Coudray.
Philip II of France captured Chinon in 1205 after a siege of several months. In the early fourteenth century leading Knights Templar, among them Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were held in the Tour du Coudray, where graffiti attributed to them survives. The future Charles VII kept court here between 1427 and 1450. Recognised as a Monument historique in 1840 and restored between 2003 and 2010, the fortress is owned by the Indre-et-Loire department and forms part of the UNESCO Loire Valley.
Did you know? Joan of Arc reached Chinon on 6 March 1429 and lodged in the Tour du Coudray. The story that she picked the disguised Dauphin from a crowd is legend, not proven fact.
How long should you spend at Château de Chinon?
Plan about ~60 min at Château de Chinon. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Château de Chinon worth visiting?
Château de Chinon is one of the 13 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Loire Valley, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Loire Valley
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Château de Chinon and read more:
Day 1 of the Loire Valley in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Château de Chinon
Preview the Loire Valley tour free in the Gingerguide app.