Troglodytes et Sarcophages

The Loire Valley


At this Merovingian-era mine, stone coffins were produced from the 5th to the 9th centuries and exported all over western France. Tours, in French with printed information in six languages, last one hour.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Loire Valley attractions

1. Le Mystère des Faluns

0.41 MILES

Creative lighting and sound effects illustrating the origins of falun stone and its fossils turn the entire 600m walking route here, though ancient…

2. Rochemenier

3.78 MILES

Rochemenier is one of the region's best examples of troglodyte culture. You can explore the remains of two adjacent farmsteads, complete with dwellings,…

3. École Nationale d’Équitation

8.07 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…

4. Pierre et Lumière

9.32 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…

5. Musée du Champignon

9.33 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,…

6. Langlois-Chateau

9.37 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…

7. Château de Brézé

9.49 MILES

Brézé sits on top of a network of subterranean rooms and passages, 1.5km of them open to the public, that include a boulangerie, wine cellars, defensive…

8. Musée des Blindés

9.71 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 …