I am planning to use Chinon as my base in Loire as I was looking for a less touristy small town on the west side instead of a busy city , however I have a slight concern, does the whole town close down early? My Husband and I are in our 50s, so we are not looking for anything super wild or into the wee hours, we just want a nice bar or cafe to enjoy beer or wine and soak up the atmosphere.We never drink and drive at all so we would want options in town, maybe something that’s open till 11pm or so.We have not billed our hotel yet, I don’t know if many of the hotels have bars in them in that area.We will be visiting in early October.Thanks any input would be appreciated
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Rick's France book lists Café Français (p. 429) as the place for nightlife, open Tues-Sat (however, I read a news article saying they no longer offer live music). Also La Cave Voltaire (p. 425) for evening winetasting (but may not run as late as the book says). I didn't try them. You'll also have a choice of restaurants open most days, with Sundays and Mondays being quietest. Last year, my mother and I dined two evenings at Restaurant Cote Jardin because it was a good value, open Sundays, and fit Mom's dietary preferences (salad = yes, gizzards/dairy/fish = no). Certainly this town had more going on in early October than did Beynac in the Dordogne, for instance.
Posted by
3122 posts
Not sure about what's open in the evenings in October, but I can vouch for Chinon being a lovely place. We greatly enjoyed visiting the fortress and seeing the view of the surrounding vineyards.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
6510 posts
It’s been a decade since we’ve been there, but we love the town. We ate outside at a little restaurant on a small plaza. We took our time, then walked around town afterwards. On that trip we were camping at a campsite just across the bridge.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7271 posts
Posted by
Loire Valley
749 posts
Chinon is a small town, not much nightlife (especially out of season), but depending one where you eat your evening meal you probably won't be finished much before 11pm anyway.
Posted by
4 posts
We were just in Chinon and for a Friday night, it seemed really sleepy compared to earlier in the week in Honfleur and Dinan. We left a night early and went to Chartres partly because the Chateaux we wanted to see were farther away but also the town didn’t have many shops or things to do. We are in our late 40s and we are with our kids.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4080 posts
My wife and I (also in our 50's) stayed in Chinon for 1 night, plenty of restaurants and cafes and even a grocery store if you need snacks or supplies. It's quiet but a good base. I know I'm in the minority when I say I didn't enjoy French food on my trip-I thought it is too bland, but one of the best meals I ate was in Chinon at L'Ardoise.