Château de Saumur

Anjou


Soaring above the town’s rooftops, Saumur’s fairy-tale castle was largely built in the 13th century by Louis XI, and has served variously as a fortress for protection from the Normans, a Renaissance palace, a Protestant stronghold and an army barracks. Today it houses Saumur's municipal museum, whose exhibits include outstanding collections of faience (earthenware) and equestrian gear, housed in the adjacent abbey church.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Anjou attractions

1. Église St-Pierre

0.17 MILES

Restored, cleaned and stabilised in 2016, this mostly 12th- and 13th-century church brings together Aquitaine-style Romanesque and Plantagenet (Anjou…

2. Musée de la Cavalerie

0.6 MILES

Action-packed oil paintings, colourful but impractical uniforms, plumed helmets and old photos trace the history of France's cavalerie (cavalry) from 1445…

3. Musée des Blindés

0.88 MILES

Housed in a one-time cigarette factory, this non-profit museum displays more than 200 blindés (tanks) and other military vehicles – some in working order …

4. Langlois-Chateau

1.78 MILES

Founded in 1885, this winery specialises in Crémant de Loire (sparkling wine made using the Champagne-style méthode traditionelle) as well as non-bubbly…

5. École Nationale d’Équitation

2.88 MILES

One of the world's premier equestrian academies, the prestigious French National Riding School is home to the Cadre Noir, an elite group of riding…

6. Musée du Champignon

3.09 MILES

Get acquainted with some fabulous fungi at this mushroom museum, where you can see about a dozen varieties growing in glowing shades of orange, yellow,…

7. Pierre et Lumière

3.22 MILES

Tufa-stone sculptures of 20 of the Loire Valley's most famous monuments, from Tours' cathedral to the château at Amboise, are displayed in a former tufa…

8. Les Pommes Tapées

4.94 MILES

This is one of the last places in France producing the traditionally made dried apples known as pommes tapées. You can see displays on how it’s done,…