Chinon

It’s worth rising early in Chinon to walk through quiet streets and really absorb the atmosphere of this beautiful medieval town on the banks of the Vienne River with its hilltop chateau that was once home to the Plantagenets. It’s justifiably famous for its wine and had it been a bit later I could have spent a happy bibulous hour or two visiting the wine producers caves in the cliffs beneath the chateau tasting the wines. But other destinations beckoned and wine tasting at 9am is never a good idea.

Fortunately I had stayed the night before and ate at a fabulous fish restaurant called L’Oceanic and tasted a rosé Chinon which was totally delicious. It was only the previous week that Telegraph wine expert Victoria Moore had written about rare white Chinon (I don’t think it gets exported) and I’m sure this is equally true of the rosé.

Anyway the early morning stroll was undistracted by food and wine, taking in glimpses of gardens, some rather fine municipal planting in limestone planters and the limpid Vienne.