Caves peintes de Chinon, Underground caves in Chinon, Loire Valley, France
The caves peintes de Chinon are a network of underground passages and chambers carved into the soft tuffeau limestone beneath the town of Chinon, in the Loire Valley. The galleries run under the royal fortress and the city walls, shaped by centuries of stone quarrying rather than by deliberate excavation for shelter.
The caves were quarried from the 12th to the 15th century, when tuffeau was extracted from the hillside to build the castle above and the town walls. The main entrance is a tall 15th- or 16th-century doorway topped by a pointed, broken arch, its jambs reinforced with pillars. The entrance was listed as a historic monument by decree on 19 April 1932.
The Confrérie des bons entonneurs rabelaisiens gathers in the caves four times a year for ceremonies dedicated to local wine. During these events, members wear traditional costumes and take part in initiation rituals, filling the underground passages with music and song.
The caves are open on specific days, mostly during the warmer months, and guided tours are the main way to visit the galleries. Wearing a warm layer is a good idea, as the temperature inside stays cool year-round.
The wall painting that gave the caves their name was described by François Rabelais as a scene of Bacchic celebration, but it no longer exists today. Rabelais drew inspiration from this place partly because his own father owned a cellar in the area.
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