Chinon Castle is the one great fortress of the Loire that was never a pleasure palace. On a single rock above the River Vienne, the crown of France changed hands again and again — an English king died here, an empire fell here, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar was jailed here, and an unknown peasant girl named Joan of Arc walked in and set a wavering dauphin on the road to his throne.

And its most famous moment — Joan picking the disguised king out of a crowd — is a legend. This is the real story of the fortress where a war turned, an empire ended, and a girl found her king.

Watch the documentary version: https://youtu.be/YPi2fVl5Ugc

Full written guide, with every source and visitor information:

https://stonekeepatlas.com/castles/chateau-de-chinon/

CHAPTERS

0:00 Cold open: The scene that never happened

1:22 Chapter 1: Three castles on one rock

2:56 Chapter 2: Blois, Anjou, and the birth of an empire

5:03 Chapter 3: The death of a king

6:09 Quote: Henry II

6:13 Chapter 3 continued

7:10 Chapter 4: 1205, the impregnable rock falls

9:11 Chapter 5: The Templars in the tower

11:14 Chapter 6: Joan of Arc and the two audiences

13:14 Quote: Joan of Arc

13:28 Chapter 6 continued

14:19 Chapter 7: Ruin, rescue, and the truer story

KEY SOURCES

• Forteresse Royale de Chinon (Département d'Indre-et-Loire), "Histoire et visite," forteressechinon.fr

• Base Mérimée notice PA00097661, Ministère de la Culture (pop.culture.gouv.fr)

• UNESCO World Heritage Centre — "The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes" (ref. 933)

• Mission Val de Loire (valdeloire.org)

• Gerald of Wales on the death of Henry II; the rehabilitation-trial testimony of Joan of Arc's confessor, Friar Jean Pasquerel

• Full bibliography in the article linked above.

ABOUT THE SHOW

StoneKeep Atlas tells the real stories of Europe's great castles, palaces and fortresses — the documented history, not the tourist myth. New episodes alongside the documentaries at youtube.com/@StoneKeepAtlas.

Website: https://stonekeepatlas.com

CREDITS

Music: Envato Elements. Narration produced with synthetic voice.