Chinon is located in the heart of the Val de Loire, 47 km (29 miles) southwest of Tours and 305 km (189 miles) south west of Paris. It extends on both the banks of the Vienne, with the historic town mainly on the northern bank, at the foot of the medieval castle.
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. At that time, Chinon developed, especially under Henry II (Henry Plantagenêt, Count of Anjou, and crowned King of England in 1154). The castle was rebuilt and extended, becoming his administrative center and a favorite residence. It was where court was frequently held during the Angevin Empire. (Wikipedia)
*