Here are a few photos of Chinon and Crissay-sur-Manse taken on 23rd December 2008, which I have just got round to sorting out. Both places can be wonderfully photogenic, especially when the light is sharp and clear.

Chinon

The recently restored château

The Château de Chinon and the Clos des Capucins to the west

Clos des Capucins (on the left) on top of the hill

The gatehouse to the château

Vienne, old Chinon and the château

Crissay-sur-Manse

The village and its church

Crissay – the château

Typical big skies and wide open spaces on the road across to Manthelan

Contrary to the rather grey weather forecast, today was one of those brilliantly clear, sunny winter days. We headed off to Saumur via Mantelan, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine and to Nohant-en-Touraine, where we turned off the direct route via Ile Bouchard to Saumur and made our way through Saint-Epain and down the very pretty manse Valley to Crissay-sur-Manse. – one of the 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'. France has 151 villages in this category.

Church@Crissay-sur-Manse. Described as one of the 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'


The château@Crissay-sur-Manse

Then on through Panzoult, Cravant-les-Coteaux to Chinon, where I took some pictures of the old town and the château above along with the reflections in the Vienne. All the photos have almost improbably deep blue sky.

Chinon's old town and château mirrored in the Vienne

The Vienne and the gatehouse entrance to the château

Work continues on restoring the château – the scaffolding has
now been removed from the central part of the château

Chinon to the west of the château

Then onto Saumur where we arrived at Le Pot de Lapin around 1pm just perfect timing for lunch. (See tomorrow’s posting)

Time for lunch