Seen from Fortress Chinon’s clock tower (Tour de l'Horloge), the Collegiate Church of Saint-Mexme still sits among the houses of the old town much as it has for centuries.
Saint-Mexme was the principal religious building in Chinon until the Revolution. Its oldest surviving parts date from around the year 1000, while the church was enlarged during the 12th century as the cult of Saint Mexme developed. The central tower collapsed in 1817, destroying the eastern part of the church, leaving the medieval nave and western façade seen today.
Today the former collegiate church is a cultural centre, but its position within the historic town remains much as it was.
