Chinon Castle at the Heart of French History
From the Gallo-Romans to Joan of Arc, via the Templars, its stones remain the silent witnesses to marking episodes of our history. Dive into a fortress divided into three parts and not to be missed under any circumstances!
Vast and majestic stone construction dominating the Vienne and the town that gave it its name, Chinon Castle has been occupied for three millennia. From the Gallo-Romans to Joan of Arc, via the Templars, its stones remain the silent witnesses to marking episodes of our history. Dive into a fortress divided into three parts and not to be missed under any circumstances!
A fortress prized over the centuries
If the rocky promontory supporting the castle reveals traces of a thousand years before our era, it is necessary to wait until the end of the Gaulish period for true signs of construction to become evident. This is followed by the constant development of the town of Chinon and the erection of a first wall during the time of the Visigoths, which resisted a Roman assault.
The castle properly speaking is gradually erected between the 6th and 10th century, to become at that time the property of the counts of Blois, vassals of the king of the Franks. From 1044, it is transmitted to the counts of Anjou who had conquered Touraine, then to Foulques IV who completes the enclosure of the fortress. His great-grandson, Henry II Plantagenet, is designated heir to the English crown in 1153 and makes Chinon his continental capital. The castle then takes the form known today. Henry II, before dying there in 1189, gives birth notably, through his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine, to Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland, both future kings. In 1205, Chinon is conquered by the French king Philip Augustus. Several episodes follow in which Chinon participates, of alliance and war between the kings of France and England, against a backdrop of crusades and betrayals.
Several notable facts still mark the history of the castle, when four dignitaries of the order of the Templars are imprisoned there in 1308 to prevent Pope Clement V from absolving them. Despite the intervention of three cardinals, King Philip the Bold sends them to the stake.
Also, Joan of Arc makes her appearance at Chinon in 1429, while the court of King Charles VII has been installed there for two years. Two meetings enable the monarch to use Joan’s divine election to reverse the course of the Hundred Years’ War.
Subsequently, Chinon is more or less abandoned and falls into disrepair. After the Revolution, it is sold to various private individuals who erect dwellings in its different parts. The site becoming dangerous, the municipality requests its destruction in 1854 despite its classification as a historical monument in 1840. The intervention of Prosper Mérimée prevents this disaster, and restoration works begin. They are still ongoing at the beginning of our century.
An exceptional architecture
The main particularity of Chinon Castle is its separation into three distinct parts, fruits of several constructions at different periods which have been gradually protected by common ramparts. The kings called these spaces their “three castles”, which are found in the form of three towers on the coat of arms of Chinon. Dry moats separate the three constructions: Fort du Coudray, the Middle Castle and Fort Saint-Georges, each having its own wall. The middle one hosts the main lodgings and the priory of Saint-Mélaine.
Nine towers overlook the constructions, which each have their own history. Thus, the Tour du Coudray is the work – modern for the period – of Philip Augustus. It is the tallest in the castle and equipped with arrow loops, chimneys and latrines. It locks the fort thanks to a double portcullis and drawbridge. Another remarkable tower, the Clock Tower constitutes the fortified entrance of the Middle Castle. Erected by Prince John Lackland as he prepares the fortress for war in 1200, it is modified several times subsequently and notably raised to reach the five levels visible today and accommodate a bell.
Another remarkable building, Fort Saint-Georges hosts a palace with purely administrative and lodging functions. Finally, the royal lodgings constitute a wealth built by Duke Louis I of Anjou within the Middle Castle and taking the form of three wings around a courtyard in the time of Charles VII. Only the southern wing remains, where a courtroom also called the “Recognition Hall” is found.
To see (and do) today
The royal lodgings, restored since the year 2000, offer the visitor several thematic rooms linked to the history of the castle:
- a furnished reconstruction of the bedroom of Charles VII;
- another of the bedroom of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, which was originally located within the palace of Fort Saint-Georges;
- two rooms bring the history of the fortress back to life thanks to 3D reconstructions and objects from excavations;
- two other rooms present a collection of art objects retracing the history and perception of Joan of Arc over the centuries;
- a more military room exhibits weapons and details the organisation of the army of King Charles VII;
- a final room proposes a film retracing the major events in the life of the fortress.
Several other possibilities are offered to you, such as the virtual visit (in augmented reality) of eight reconstructed rooms, to be discovered by walking with the dedicated tablet called Histopad. For the more competitive, two escape games are offered to you, set against a backdrop of intrigue linked to the Hundred Years’ War or the Templars.
The visit will also allow you to observe war machines in action or to share a moment with the wine growers of the Chinon estate.
Standing at the place where Joan of Arc convinced the king of France of her divine mission, where Templars were judged, where Romans attacked walls provides the feeling of being part of the History. Inheritors of all these struggles, the peace that now reigns at Chinon encourages through contemplation our own inner peace. Your turn to admire its towers!
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