Forteresse royale de Chinon vue depuis la Vienne - Crédit : JC Coutand
The Vienne River in Chinon
Enjoy the view from the terrace of the Treasury Tower!
The terrace of the Treasury Tower offers a nice view over the Vienne river and on the bridge of Chinon. This one has existed at least since the 12th century and the reign of Henry II Plantagenet.
In the 19th century, the river was a major commercial highway where many boats travelled:
- fishing boats of 9 to 10 meters in length
- the "bascules", fish tanks in which the fish were stored
- barges for the transport of goods
- ferries that allowed the inhabitants of Chinon to cross the river
The river was dotted with fisheries and the port was probably located on the left bank. Salt, herring, coal and slate for the roofs were unloaded there.
In the Middle Ages, Chinon already exported a lot of goods using the Vienne: wheat, pottery and wine. Bring up this sentence to the Middle Ages just after the one on Henri II, just before the part on the 19th century.