Author François Rabelais (c 1483–1553), whose works include the Gargantua and Pantagruel series, grew up in Chinon; you’ll see Rabelais-related names dotted all around the old town, which offers a fine cross-section of medieval architecture, best seen along r ue Haute St-Maurice and rue Voltaire. The tourist office has a free walking-tour leaflet and offers French-language guided tours (adult/child €4.70/2.50).
Look out for the remarkable Hôtel du Gouverneur , an impressive townhouse with a double-flighted staircase ensconced behind a carved gateway, and the nearby Gothic Palais du Bailliage , the former residence of Chinon’s bailiwick (now occupied by the Hostellerie Gargantua).
