Chez Tim – Chinon France

Welcome to my home -- a lovely cottage in the heart of the Loire Valley in Chinon, France.  It is a perfect place from which to explore Chinon, itself as well as the castles and vineyards throughout the Loire and the Touraine region.  Also a great place to just relax by the cottage's 22-meter lap pool and barbeque in the garden. 

Explore the many châteaux and vineyards of the Loire Valley, walk or cycle along the Vienne River and spend peaceful moments by the pool. Although bikes can be rented at the local train station, renting a car in Tours or at the airport where you land if you're flying into France is strongly recommended to take full advantage of the many possibilities of the area.

Chez Tim

The house is a 15-minute walk to the center of historic Chinon and all services. The Loire Valley is full of châteaux and vineyards as well as miles of foot and bike paths along the river and throughout the countryside.

A Day Out in Paris

Chinon is only a 35-minute drive from Tours (train service also exists) and Paris is just an additional hour away on the high-speed TGV (train de grande vitesse) which makes it more than possible to head to Paris for a day's shopping or sightseeing. TGV service links Tours to Disneyland Paris, Charles-De-Gaulle (Roissy) International Airport, Lille, Poitiers and Bordeaux, as well as London, England and Brussels, Belgium.

280 kilometers south of Paris, it is a three-hour drive to Paris on the autoroute (freeway/motorway).

The House and Pool

The house is approximately 200 years old and has recently been renovated. Attics have been converted, forming an air-conditioned Master Suite with Tempurpedic mattress on the Large Double bed (160 cm / US Queen) and a bathroom equipped with both an antique soaking tub and a free standing shower.

There is a large swimming pool in the backyard, making it a wonderful place to spend the warmer months.  At 22 meters in length, it is wide enough for two people to swim laps without getting in each other's way.  The deep end is 7 feet deep; the shallow, 4 feet.  The black liner provides passive solar heating and gives the pool a more natural aspect.  Please note that as pool access is by ladders rather than steps, it is not suitable for small children.

Directly behind the house, a newly created patio area is ideal for eating outdoors among the rose bushes, fruit trees and other flowering shrubs.

Lawn furniture is provided.

The main room boasts an old-fashioned Godin woodstove which is the building's main source of heat.

High Speed Internet is available (via Ethernet cable).  With it comes free telephone service and, for those with a laptop, several television channels. The bedroom has a dedicated TV monitor that is equipped with a PAL/SECAM DVD player and a Multi-system VCR which reads both US and European tapes.  Please be advised that the monitor is not equipped for regular television viewing at this time.   There is, however, a sizable collection of DVDs and tapes for your enjoyment and, of course, many of the regular French channels can be watched online.

During the renovations, some of the stonework on the courtyard side had to be replaced. As one of the types of stones is no longer quarried in France, replacement stone from another renovation-in-progress was used – the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, dating from the 12th century! Among the pile of stones were three ornately carved pieces which have been incorporated into the livingroom wall - over the objection of the mason that the stones could be shaved flat!

The kitchen is fully equipped with a mixed range (3 gas burners; 1 electric burner), oven, washing machine, dishwasher, coffee maker, microwave and fridge/freezer.

Pots, pans, dishes, glasses and silverware are provided for your use.



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