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The "three castles" that make up the Royal Fortress reveal their secrets.

The Royal Fortress of Chinon is built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Vienne River and the town.

The castle enclosure is punctuated with numerous towers that illustrate the evolution of defensive architecture from the 12^th to the 15^th centuries: round towers, solid or hollow, with an Angevin slope, horseshoe-shaped, etc. Inside the enclosure, the space is divided by ditches into three distinct parts that the kings called their three castles: the Fort du Coudray, the Middle Castle and the fort Saint-Georges. The Middle Castle occupies the centre of the fortress. Its gate-tower, now known as the Clock Tower, has housed one of the four oldest bells in Touraine and its monumental clock mechanism since the end of the 14^th century. The royal apartments of Charles VII and Marie of Anjou were built against the southern rampart of the Middle Castle. Restored in 2010, this elegant stone dwelling, punctuated with turrets and mullioned windows, is crowned with a slate roof. Its rooms house the furnished re-creations and collections of the site.

Fort Saint-Georges

01 Fort Saint-Georges

Photo du bâtiment d’accueil ADT Touraine - Crédit : Philippe Gaujard

01 Fort Saint-Georges

The reception building built in 2010 was established on the Fort Saint-Georges. This part of the site, which was the subject of archaeological excavations between 2003 and 2010, revealed a previously unknown Plantagenet palace dated to around 1160.

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The Middle Castle

02 The Royal dwellings

Les Logis royaux - Crédit : Léonard de serres

02 The Royal dwellings

The construction of the royal dwellings was initiated by Duke Louis Ist of Anjou around 1370.
It continued in the 15th century under Charles VII and Marie of Anjou. This complex was composed of three buildings arranged in a "U" shape around an interior courtyard. The west and north buildings were destroyed. The south wing, which has been preserved, has been converted into a museum space. The large banquet hall, which has now disappeared, is called the Recognition Hall in reference to the mythical episode that took place there in March 1429: the presentation of Joan of Arc to the court of King Charles VII.

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03 The Argenton Tower

La Tour d’Argenton - Crédit : Léonard de serres

03 The Argenton Tower

This powerful tower, which has three semi-buried levels, was designed to withstand the new weapons of powder artillery of the late 15th century.
The small cannons on its summit terrace, on the same level as the castle courtyard, are originals from the end of the 16th century. From this terrace, you can see the re-creation of a wooden construction crane from the end of the 12th century installed on the Fort du Coudray.

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04 The Dog Tower

La Tour des Chiens - Crédit : Léonard de Serres

04 The Dog Tower

The Dog Tower is a defensive tower in the shape of a horseshoe.
was built by Philip Augustus as part of the reconstruction of the north side, which was heavily damaged during the siege of 1205. It has three semi-buried levels equipped with arrow slits and a summit terrace which was connected to the parapet walk.

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05 The clock tower

La Tour de l’Horloge - Crédit : David Darrault

05 The clock tower

The Clock Tower is the emblematic gateway to the Middle Castle. In the Middle Ages, it defended the access to the castle by a drawbridge and a portcullis.
These defensive elements have now disappeared. A slender tower, it rises on five levels and is crowned by a parapet walk.

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06 The machines of the park

06 The machines of the park

The park of the Fortress hosts a bricole and a trebuchet. These are jet machines used in the 13th century and reproduced here at a third of their real size by an expert in medieval engineering (Renaud Beffeyte). He designed them after long years of research and experimentation. They are put into action during the activities offered by the Fortress according to the seasons.

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07 The Treasury Tower

07 The Treasury Tower

Built against the southern rampart of the Middle Castle, the Treasury Tower was constructed by Henri II Plantagenêt to house his royal treasure, which consisted mainly of charters and documents.
Today the tower still houses three vaulted rooms topped by a terrace. The central room is lit by two small windows on the south side. It may have been used as a guard room or office and must have been filled with chests and cabinets. It is flanked by two small side rooms equipped with arrow slits to defend the tower in case of siege.

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Fort Coudray

08 The Coudray Tower

Tour du Coudray - Crédit Léonard de Serres

08 The Coudray Tower

Built by Philip Augustus after the siege of 1205, the Coudray Tower is the most imposing defensive tower on the site. Equipped with arrow slits on three levels, the tower was protected by a double portcullis and a drawbridge that controlled access to the fort at Coudray. Its entrance door located on the 1^er floor is defended by a murder hole. In the Middle Ages, a parapet walk linked it to the terrace of the Boissy tower. .

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09 The Boissy Tower

09 The Boissy Tower

The Boissy Tower was built in the 13th century; at that time, it was called the Beffroy Tower. In the 16th century, Claude Gouffier de Boisy, captain of the royal fortress of Chinon for half a century (from 1519 to 1567), gave it his name because of the work he had done there. Claude's father, Artus de Boisy, was one of the richest men in the kingdom during the Renaissance. Captain of the fortress of Chinon from 1514 to 1519, Grand Master of France and tutor of François 1st; at his death, he bequeathed to the king a treasure of gold and silver coins and plates that he had sheltered in one of the towers of the fortress.

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10 The Mill Tower

La Tour du Moulin - Crédit : Léonard de Serres

10 The Mill Tower

The Mill Tower was built on the initiative of Richard the Lionheart from 1190.

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Outside

11 The vienne river in chinon

Forteresse royale de Chinon vue depuis la Vienne - Crédit : JC Coutand

11 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.

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12 Vineyards in Chinon

Les vignes à Chinon - Crédit : Nathaelle Brouwers

12 Vineyards in Chinon

Enjoy the view from the terrace of the Dog Tower! The Chinon vineyard acquired its noble status mainly in the 20^th century, with the recognition of the AOC Chinon. Depending on the location of the vineyard, the wine of Chinon takes on different notes: this is the result of the different characteristics of the soil. North of Chinon, the yellow and sandy soils give fruity wines. Along the Vienne River, the gravelly soil gives light, very aromatic wines.

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13 An interactive interpretation trail

This trail highlights the northern side of the ramparts and allows tourists and walkers to discover the Royal Fortress from a new angle. To fully enjoy your walk, scan the QR-code* of the terminals of the route to find out everything about the landscape that surrounds you. *Free applications can be downloaded to your smartphone allowing the reading of QR codes.

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14 A balcony overlooking the town

14 A balcony overlooking the town

Enjoy the view from the Clock Tower's parapet walk!
The Clock Tower offers a magnificent panorama of the town of Chinon, a 180° view. In the 14^th century, the town of Chinon extended mainly at the foot of the fortress. This part was known as the "fortified town". The surrounding wall started from the Mill Tower in the direction of the Vienne.

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