During our long weekend in Tours, I wanted to make sure to get out and about to the surrounding area. There is so much to see in the Loire Valley and I wanted to make the most of our time.
My original plan was to do a bit of cycling on the Loire à Vélo cycling route. I wanted to see so many towns, vineyards, and chateaux – I was wondering how we were ever going to have time to see it all. A few hours into my research it all started to seem too ambitious for our relaxing weekend… So I went back to the drawing board. I always think that I want to squeeze in so much when I’m traveling, but in the end I’m always happiest when taking things slow. So I decided on the Saturday we’d do a day trip to just one place. We didn’t have a car so I was looking at places easily accessible by train. I considered towns like Amboise, Saumur, and Blois. After quite a bit more research, the town of Chinon won out in the end. And I was glad it did!
A little about Chinon…
Chinon is a commune in the Touraine region of France, located in the Loire Valley. It doesn’t lie on the River Loire but instead on a tributary of the Loire called the River Vienne. It’s known for its medieval history and castle, called le Chateau de Chinon. The castle is different to many of the more famous chateaux in the region in that it’s kept its rougher medieval design over the centuries and was never renovated and embellished during the Renaissance.
And while most of the Loire Valley is known as being a white wine region, the area around Chinon is known for it’s reds.
We hopped on board our train to Chinon in the early afternoon. The tickets were inexpensive at about €5 each way! Not to mention the train itself was clean, comfortable, and easy to navigate. I speak a bit of French to understand the announcements but it’s always helpful to have a screen clearly displaying each stop. Have I mentioned I love French trains?
After an hour’s journey through the countryside of the Loire Valley, admiring the local peoples’ houses and gardens we passed by, we hopped off at Chinon around 1:00 PM.
It was a beautiful sunny day and unseasonably warm. But Chinon was deserted. Well, except for a handful of other unsuspecting tourists.
As I said, it was a Saturday afternoon so we were confused at first. It was eerie walking around the quiet streets, especially since we had just left bustling Tours. Our voices were the only sounds we could hear. In the end we chalked it up to the fact that we were in mainland Europe, where relaxing and spending time with loved ones is priority one
Despite the fact that everything was closed, I thought Chinon was really charming. If no one else was going to be around, then there was more for us to enjoy!
While being located in the greater Touraine region around the River Loire, Chinon is actually located on an offshoot of the Loire, called the River Vienne. The river is the centerpiece of the town, with the medieval quarter sitting on the hilly north side of the river.
Strolling along the river is a treat in itself. It’s lined with trees that had a slight orangey autumn tint the day we were there in October.
We wandered into the Old Town, hoping to find somewhere to sit for a drink or a coffee in the shade as the afternoon got progressively warmer. Every shop and cafe in town was closed so we continued walking, eventually heading up to the castle, or fortress on the hilltop.
After a rather steep climb, we wrrived at the fortress. Money was tight on this trip so we opted not to spend €14 per person on entry to the castle and visitor centre. Maybe next time, but that day we were happy to take in the views over Chinon from the top of the hill.
On our way back down the steep hillside, we spotted a small garden cafe called Cafe Perché tucked inconspicuously into the hillside. We were very hot at this stage and the menu options included bière so we stepped in. The place was a narrow outdoor cafe, with only 4 tables and patio furniture. On one side was a railing and views over the whole town. Each table was separated by plants, trees, and shrubs, giving each table a bit of privacy. I’d never been to a place like it before!
We snagged a table at the end and stayed for a few hours. We didn’t exactly have a plan for the day, but it was getting very hot and we knew most places were closed. At least we could relax with our cold French beers and a patio umbrella shading us from the sun. It wasn’t how I imagined we’d spend our day trip in Chinon but honestly, it was so relaxing.
Once we got to the point where we felt we had overstayed our welcome, we set off back down the hill. By chance we walked past a winery… in a cave! It was called Caves M Plouzeau. We stepped in and felt instant relief from the heat as we walked down into the cool, dark, wine cave.
We arrived just as a group of 4 elderly French people were finishing up a wine tasting with a woman who worked there. We stood by as we watched them order at least a dozen crates of wine. We were very jealous. Once they were hauling their crates up to the road on a dolly the woman let us sample a few of their reds. They were delicious and the bottles on the menu seemed well-priced. We decided to buy one to enjoy later on.
Hunger had started creeping in at this stage and the shops were now open again. We popped into a small supermarché to pick up a few treats and some wine for a picnic. I was surprised to see, as we walked over the bridge, that the grassy area on the banks of the Vienne, that no one was sitting out to enjoy the nice evening. Again, more space for us! We set up camp and went to town on our baguette, brie, fruit, macarons, and wine.
I had brought the towel from home and we borrowed a wine opener, knife, and wooden serving board from our AirBnB.
We purposely bought a later return ticket to Tours so we could sit out and enjoy the sunset. It was the nicest evening I’ve had in a very long time. One of those moments where is all is right in the world. I was facing a bit of stress and uncertainty in my life at home in Ireland, but sitting in the grass there with a cup full of wine, great company, and the view of the fortress on top of the hill took me so far away from everything. I’ll always remember it.
So to round up why I think Chinon, France made a perfect day trip in the Loire Valley:
- Easily accessible by train. The Chinon train station isn’t miles outside the city centre. It’s an easy 10 minute walk from the station to the heart of the town. And if you’re based in Tours like we were, it’s only about an hour’s journey.
- Views, views, views. From both sides of the river! Fantastic for some gorgeous snaps.
- Wine! The wine cave we went to was really nice and we could have spent a bit more time there. There are also other wineries and vineyards around the city that look like they’s be worth a visit, especially if you’re traveling by car. In particular Pierre & Bertrand Couly just outside town has a load of great reviews.
- History. I didn’t go into it much here, but a quick Google search of Chinon will bring up names like Joan of Arc, Richard the Lionheart, and the Knights Templar, among others! If a walking tour had been available to us I would have loved that! My guess is there would be a good bit of history on display at the castle if you go in to check it out.
- It’s a small town and perfect for those like me who love strolling around.
- Authenticity. This place is no tourist trap, or at least not in October when we were there.
- Picnic on the riverbank. This is a must-do in my opinion. The grassy spot by the river is just too perfect not to take advantage of!
I would 100% recommend Chinon to a friend or anyone looking for a charming, quaint, authentic French experience 😀