A Dose of Small-Town France
Arrival in Chinon

Back in January, I found an AMAZING round-trip airfare to Paris ($493) for July 2017.  I finally decided to spend some time in Chinon, France, and then end my trip in Paris.  To get the cheap airfare, I had to connect through Philadelphia.  Due to weather, I missed my connection, so I was re-routed from Philadelphia to London Heathrow and then on to Paris Charles de Gaulle, so instead of arriving at 8 am Paris time, I got there at 1:15 pm.
Dinner on the flight AA 728 was delicious: chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, roll, butter, cheese, crackers, and a brownie!  Breakfast on flight AA 728 was also good: cranberry orange muffin top, granola, dried fruit, and strawberry yogurt.

 

I took the RER into Paris (10 euros, $11.50) and then the Metro (1.90 euros, $2.20) to Gare Montparnasse, where I bought a train ticket to Chinon (72.40 euros, $83).  (My American credit card worked in the train ticket machines!)  Here I am waiting for my train at Gare Montparnasse.  I even got a seat!  And I got the public wifi to work!

  

I had not yet learned about the Relay sandwich + drink lunch deal, so I stupidly got an overpriced chicken and bacon sandwich from the station's Monoprix while I waited for my train.  It was so-so.
 

Here I am on my final train to Chinon.  (I had to change at St.-Pierre-des-Corps and at Tours.)

It was so gorgeous to see the fields of sunflowers along the way!
 
Made it to Chinon at 6:30 pm after more than 24 hours of travel!  (You can see I overpacked, as usual, so I had a backpack on my front AND back.)   I got a great rate on Orbitz ($77 per night pre-paid + 0.90 euros [$1] in local tax each night) for the Best Western Hotel de France in Chinon, right on one of the main squares and air-conditioned.
 
I got room 101!   It had a remodeled ensuite bathroom.
 
My room had a balcony and a view of the square!   The spiral staircase down was pretty, too.  My room was on the first floor, and the hotel has no elevator, so I used these stairs a lot!
 
Before eating dinner, I walked across the bridge over the Vienne River.   I ate at the Restaurant Cote Jardin on my first night in Chinon.  It was recommended in Rick Steves France 2017.
 
The waiter brought the fixed-price meal menu out to the table along with the regular menu.  I ordered the three-course menu for 14.50 euros ($17, includes tax and tip).

The first course was soupe de légumes (vegetable soup).  It did not have a lot of flavor.
 
The second course was pavé de boeuf, sauce roquefort (beef in a blue cheese sauce).  The side "vegetable" was penne pasta with a roasted tomato on top.  The bread was good, as was the Swiss cheese (?!?) they brought.   There were many choices for dessert, but I asked the waiter his suggestion, and he recommended the salade de fruits frais (fresh fruit salad).  It was yummy and a great way to end my first dinner in France since 2009!
 
After dinner, I walked over the bridge again and got a nice view of the old town.  Chinon reminded me so much of Amboise!  To get up to the fortress, the city has a public elevator behind my hotel.  I took it up for a nice view of the town.  (It was very much like Orvieto or Montepulciano!)