|
Although the town of Chinon has been affected by commercialism, it's a short distance to the open countryside, which you can explore on foot or by boat : Le Club Chinonais de Canoe-Kayak (tel 02.47.93.39.59), on the south bank by Chinon's campsite, offers groups trips up to L'Ile Bouchard or down to Candes (July & Aug 10am-6pm), or you can rent canoes and kayaks on Saturday afternoon and Sunday (around 80F/?12.20 for half a day). Some of the region's troglodyte dwellings can be found just a short walk from Chinon. From St Mexme's church at the eastern end of rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau, the Coteaux Ste-Radegonde (GR3) forges a route lined with cave dwellings, some of which are still inhabited, and ends at the Chapelle Ste-Radegonde , a rock-cut church which is part of a complex of cave dwellings in which St Radegonde lived with her followers. The sixth-century German princess renounced the world and her husband - probably not a great sacrifice, since he eventually murdered her brother - in order to devote her life to God. The other good excuse for getting out of Chinon is to discover the delights of the Chinon appellation ruby-red wines . The vineyards extend from CROUZILLES , just beyond L'Ile Bouchard, 18km upstream, to SAVIGNY-EN-VERON , near the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire. Vin de Paques (Easter wine) is the name given to the wine that should be drunk young, but most Chinon will age for thirty years, sometimes even longer. Though reds dominate, there's also a dry white and dry rose. The Chinon tourist office can provide a list of wine-growers to visit. The man who vies with Joan of Arc for shops and streets named in his honour in Chinon is Francois Rabelais (1494-1553), who wrote approvingly of wine, food and laughter in serious and rather difficult humanist texts, and whose most famous creations are the giant father and son Gargantua and Pantagruel. He was born at LA DEVINIERE , 6km southwest of Chinon, in a steep-roofed farmhouse that is now a museum to the prolific man (daily: May-Sept 10am-7pm; rest of year 9am-noon & 2-5/6pm; closed Dec; 21F/?3.20), completely furnished in the style of the time, right down to the stone kitchen sink.
Your Tip for Around Chinon
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Around Chinon - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Around Chinon - visit the main Around Chinon forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Around Chinon webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
