All Roads Lead to Chinon

Happy New Year 2024!

Happy, happy New Year! To kick off my new Substack newsletter, I thought I’d look back at some of the fun of the 2023 holiday season.

In December, the universe definitely wanted me to journey to Chinon, just over a one-hour drive from where I’m based in Amboise, both towns located in the Loire Valley county or département known as La Touraine or Indre-et-Loire. Two invitations arrived for events all taking place around Chinon over the same weekend, plus I received a commission in December to organize a very special event there in 2024!  

So, friends and I ventured out to this beautiful town! Lovely Chinon is nestled on the Vienne River and is dominated by the Fortress of Chinon, a formidable medieval Loire Valley castle once residence of both the kings of England and France. It is today one of France’s most notable historical monuments of the Middle Ages. 

It is here where, in 1429 in the midst of the 100 Years War between France & England, a peasant girl named Joan of Arc came to meet Charles VII, the man she considered the legitimate heir to the Kingdom of France, being challenged by the claimant English King Henri VI.  It is the site of the scene where, according to legend, Joan of Arc recognizes Charles VII, whom she had never seen or met before, amongst a crowd, thus proving her divine mission to save France from the English and bring Charles VII to the city of Reims for his coronation as King of France.  Truth or fiction?  Find out the real story of Joan of Arc in Chinon.

Today, Chinon is perhaps most known for its world-renowned wines. It is one of the most famous appellations in the Loire Valley, notably its fabulous Cabernet Franc reds.  Any trip to Chinon would not be complete without a wine tasting in one of the many wineries surrounding the town.

Our first stop on our weekend in Chinon was at a Christmas Market and Open House at a fairytale Château, also a winery.  A family-owned Château throughout many centuries, it is now the home of the descendant and his wife, a dynamic couple, and real-life Count & Countess, who makes wonderful Chinon red, white & rosé wines.  The open house was festive featuring artisanal products and delicacies, and we enjoyed a wine tasting and private tour of the wine caves. I have sent many happy guests here!  The couple offers not only visits and tastings of their wines (which they export to the USA!), but also offer homemade picnics to be enjoyed on the property in view of the vineyards.  This is one of just a few Loire Valley wineries that is also a Château so it is very popular with visitors. The owners are also incredibly warm and welcoming so it’s always a favorite with Loire Valley Concierge guests. 

I organized a meet-up there with other Chinon friends and partners including a fabulous guide I work with based in Chinon, a fellow American native who also is a Medieval Scholar and Official Guide of France, a guide conférencier.  All Loire Valley Concierge guests who tour with her are wowed by her knowledge and passion. 

We also met up with a lovely American couple who, after years working in the wine industry in the USA, decided to settle near Chinon and now offer wine tours in the Loire Valley for individuals and small groups.  We all picnicked outside and, despite the chill of the December air, enjoyed the warmth of a fire pit ablaze in the Château’s courtyard, the food & wine on offer, and the views of the valley and forest below. It was fun to meet up with friends there, including another American who now calls the Loire Valley home. She’s a well-known cookbook author, writer, podcaster, and owner, with her French husband, of a boutique hotel in Chinon. 

The following day, we were invited to enjoy a late Thanksgiving by an American friend, also married to a French man, who lives in the bucolic countryside surrounding Chinon. Like me, she has lived in France forever. We met because she would travel to Amboise to attend events I organize for Loire ConneXion, the group I founded in 2010 that brings together an international English-speaking community including French locals.  Although my friend is perfectly integrated into French life (she has the French nationality, as I do, and is a teacher at a French high school), she enjoys the chance to meet with other English-speakers as it is a rare occasion for her.  She was so enthusiastic about Loire ConneXion, she even spearheaded events for Loire ConneXion in the Chinon area.  We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving meal at her lovely home with her family.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Chinon is the birthplace of the great Renaissance writer François Rabelais who was also a monk, doctor, and botanist. Renowned for his satirical "Gargantua and Pantagruel" series, he was inspired by Chinon and its surroundings which served as a backdrop for his masterpieces. Visitors can go to the Rabelais Museum housed in La Devinière, a 15th century country house, where he was born.

Rabelais mentions in one of his books, the Château du Rivau, near Chinon, a favorite of mine and with Loire Valley Concierge guests.  I first visited when I was appointed Marketing Director of the Touraine Loire Valley Tourist Board in 2008 and met the owners, the family Laigneau, who lovingly restored the Castle and its gardens.  The Château is also straight out of a fairytale, and you can visit it, even overnight there as they offer lodging, and enjoy a meal at their two restaurants, one of which is gastronomic. For me, the beautiful and astonishing gardens are the highlight.  Full of whimsy and wonderful art installations, the gardens leave a lasting impression!  

Last but not least, at the end of 2023, I was contacted by a lovely American couple referred to me to organize their wedding celebration next May 2024 in ... you guessed it ... Chinon! What a way to close the year of 2023! These are my favorite assignments as it’s an honor to be entrusted with such a special, deeply personal moment in a couple’s life, and the Loire Valley is the perfect venue to make wedding celebrations magical and memorable.  

So, all roads at the end of 2023 led to Chinon! It was a delight to reconnect with friends and partners there.  I look forward to spending the next months, before the busy touring season begins in spring 2024, venturing out to visit all my friends and partners across the Loire Valley (and beyond!) and I’ll be sharing news of my adventures with you here. 

Thank you for reading and wishing you an absolutely wonderful New Year 2024!