Chinon
Chinon | |
|---|---|
Subprefecture and commune | |
The Château de Chinon, and the river Vienne | |
Location of Chinon | |
| Coordinates: 47°10′04″N 0°14′37″E / 47.1678°N 0.2436°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Centre-Val de Loire |
| Department | Indre-et-Loire |
| Arrondissement | Chinon |
| Canton | Chinon |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Jean-Luc Dupont |
Area 1 | 39.02 km2 (15.07 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | 8,121 |
| • Density | 210/km2 (540/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 37072 /37500 |
| Elevation | 27–112 m (89–367 ft) (avg. 37 m or 121 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Chinon (French pronunciation: [ʃinɔ̃] ⓘ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, Centre-Val de Loire, France.
The traditional province around Chinon, Touraine, became a favorite resort of French kings and their nobles beginning in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The Renaissance châteaux which they built new or erected on the foundations of old fortresses earned this part of the Loire Valley the nickname "The Garden of France." Chinon played an important and strategic role during the Middle Ages, serving both French and English kings.
Chinon is known for its wine, castle, and historic town. Its part of the Loire Valley has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.