Visiting Château de Chinon

Is Château de Chinon worth visiting?

Yes, Château de Chinon is definitely worth visiting. It was a key fortress within the Angevin Empire, controlled by the Plantagenet kings of England. It served as a royal residence and stronghold, and it played a significant role in medieval politics and warfare. It is the only royal Plantagenet fortress of the Loire Valley.

We stayed in Chinon which was our second base camp in a week-long tour of the Loire Valley. Visit our Chinon page to get more information about the town and to our Loire Valley overview page to get more information about the Loire Valley and other Chateaux to visit.

We stayed in the old part of Chinon and the Château de Chinon, more accurately referred to as the Forteresse Royale de Chinon (Royal Fortress of Chinon), was perched on the hill high above the old part of town. A convenient elevator (ascenseur) is located in the heart of the town and is ideal for anyone with mobility challenges. You can also walk up a path to the chateau. It is a steep walk so even if you are able you may prefer to save your legs and use the elevator. If you are driving in you can park in a free lot by the fortress on the hill and avoid the climb. We have more parking information available in the Plan Your Visit Section on this page below.

The entrance fee included a histopad tablet that provided insights and an immersive experience as we toured the site. We used the histopad sometimes and other times we stopped to enjoy the views and take in what we were seeing. There were stunning views of the city of Chinon and the Vienne River below. If you visit the clock tower you will get even better views.

With its many ramparts and towers to tour it definitely had more of a fortress feel than that of a Chateau residence. However, it served as both strategic fortification and royal residence over the centuries. There have been many visitors to the fortress during its history including characters like Theobald the Cheat, Fulk the Quarrelsome, Henry II Plantagenet, Eleanor of Aquitaine and others.

There was a small museum area focused on Joan of Arc and the myth that surrounds her. It is said that Joan of Arc arrived in Chinon to meet the man she considered to be the legitimate heir to the kingdom of France, Charles VII. You can find out more information at the Chinon Fortress Website, or on the Joan of Arc Wikipedia Page.

The castle evolved over the years and has three main parts to be explored: Fort St-Georges most recently excavated revealing structures dating back to the 12th century, Fort du Milieu also known as the “Middle Castle” constructed in the 13th century and, Fort du Coudray, the oldest part of the castle, dating back to the 10th century.

Château de Chinon has a rich and varied history that spans over a thousand years, making it one of the most significant castles in the Loire Valley of France.The origins of Château de Chinon can be traced back to the 10th century when a wooden fortress was constructed on the rocky promontory overlooking the Vienne River. By the 12th century, Château de Chinon had become a royal residence and an important stronghold within the Angevin Empire, which encompassed territories in England and France ruled by the Plantagenet dynasty. It was during this time that the castle hosted notable figures such as Henry II of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Richard the Lionheart.

Château de Chinon played a pivotal role in the Hundred Years' War between France and England during the 14th and 15th centuries. It frequently changed hands between the French and English armies and was the site of numerous sieges and battles.

The Chateau de Chinon website has a wealth of information about the castle and its history. You will find the link in the section below.

• How do I get to Château de Chinon?

  From Paris by Car: Follow A6 to D-646 in Sauvigny-le-Bois. Take exit 22 from A6 toward Avallon. At that point, you will need to follow this Google Map as the route becomes a bit more complicated with turns and roundabouts.

  From Paris by Train: You can take a train from Paris Montparnasse to Chinon in around 2 hours 51 minutes (accordng to Trainline). You need to be careful with your train selection, as a TGV train can make the trip to Chinon much faster than the slower TER trains (they make more stops along the way). Note that the train station in Chinon (Place de la gare. 37500 Chinon. France) is on the eastern side of town, so you might have to take a taxi to your intended destination. Train schedules will vary by season, so you should do your own search for what train would work for you.

  From Paris by Bus tour: Either Viator or Get Your Guide will have bus tours that you can investigate.

• Château de Chinon Parking: Small payant lot on the south side of the Château next to the elevator. Another parking lot can be found on the north side of the Château and a larger parking lot is located in the Village of Chinon near the river. There are parking lots alongside the river, but they are all Payant types and seem to be always full. We parked (multiple days) at the Parking Jeanne d’Arc at Place Jeanne d'Arc in Chinon. It is free, however, due to the Chinon Farmer's Market that takes place each Thursday - no one is allowed to park overnight Wednesday or Thursday. Here is a link to a Google Map displaying parking available near the fortress.
• Chateau de Chinon Tickets: The entrance tickets are available here. They accept credit cards or cash. Adults prices currently 10.50 Euros and children are 8.50 euros.
• Chateau de Chinon Operating Hours: Currently 9:30AM to 6PM, 7 days per week.
• Nearby Accommodations: Here is a link to a Google Search Results page for accommodations near Château de Chinon.
• Where can I eat at Chateau de Chinon?: There is a small food outlet within the fortress that is open from April to August. The town of Chinon has numerous restaurants to try as well. View our Chinon page for some suggestions.

• Wikipedia Article: Click here to view the Château de Chinon Wikipedia Article.
• Our Image Gallery: Click here to view our Château de Chinon Image Gallery.
• Google Image Gallery: Click here to view the Google Images set for Château de Chinon.
• Château de Chinon Website: Click here to visit their Website.
• Château de Chinon Map: Click here to a Google Map.

The first column below ("All Trip Destinations") lists all of our major trip destinations (for this trip) and the next four columns list each of our trip "basecamps" and then a list of what we explored from that basecamp. Each destination name is linked to it's page - so all you need to do is click that name.

The following list contains links to all of our other French Destinations, click any blue colored link to go to that page.