Chinon

The historic town of Chinon—birthplace of author François Rabelais (1494-1553)—is dominated by the towering ruins of its medieval castle, perched high above the River Vienne. The medieval heart of the town is a storybook warren of narrow, cobbled streets (some are pedestrian-only) lined with half-timber houses; its fairy-tale allure was effectively used to frame Josette Day when she appeared as Beauty in Jean Cocteau's 1949 film La Belle et la Bête. The main road of the historic quarter, Rue Haute St-Maurice (a continuation of Rue Voltaire, which begins at the central Place du Général-de-Gaulle) is a virtual open-air museum; other towns may have one or two or three blocks lined with medieval and Renaissance houses, but this street runs, spectacularly, for more than 15 blocks. Although there are some museums in town—the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Art and History Museum) in a medieval town house on Rue Haute St-Maurice, the Maison de la Rivière, devoted to Chinon's maritime trade and set along the embankment, and the Musée du Vin (Wine Museum) on Rue Voltaire—the medieval quarter remains the must-do, as a walk here catapults you back to the days of Rabelais. Because both the village and the château are on steep, cobbled slopes, it's a good idea to wear comfortable walking shoes.