CHINON, a town of western France, capital of an arron dissement in the department of Indre-et-Loire, on the bank of the Vienne, 32 M. S.W. of Tours. Pop. It lies under a rocky crowned by ruins of the famous castle, its narrow, winding streets containing many turreted houses of the i 5th and 16th centuries. Chinon (Caino) existed before the Roman occu pation of Gaul, and was from early times an important fortress. It was occupied by the Visigoths, and subsequently, after forming part of the royal domain, came to the counts of Touraine and from them to the counts of Anjou, in 1044. In the next century it passed to Henry II. of England, who died there, but it was won back to France by Philip Augustus in 1204, after a year's siege. Of its oldest church, the Romanesque St. Mexme, only the facade and nave are left. The church of St. Etienne dates from the 15th century, that of St. Maurice from the 12th, 15th and 16th cen turies. The castle, which has undergone considerable modern res toration, consists of three separate strongholds. That to the east, the Château de St. Georges, built by Henry II. of England, has almost vanished, only the foundation of the outer wall remaining. The Château du Milieu (11th to 15th centuries) comprises the keep, the Pavillon de l'Horloge and the Grand Logis, where the first meeting between Joan of Arc and Charles VII. took place. Of the Château du Coudray, which is separated by a moat from the Château du Milieu, the chief remains are the Tour du Moulin (loth century) and two later towers. A statue of Rabelais, who was born in the vicinity of the town, stands on the river-quay. Basket and rope manufacture, tanning and cooperage are among the industries.