Book your tickets online for the top things to do in Saumur, France on Tripadvisor: See 7,427 traveler reviews and photos of Saumur tourist attractions. You can walk around the left side of the cathedral to see the rear of the building, which is equally impressive. The town of Saumur was awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm for its resistance and display of French patriotism during the war. The castle, destroyed in 1067 and inherited by the House of Plantagenet, was rebuilt by Henry II of England in the later 12th century. It is best known for its traditional-method … Saumur also has a museum of decorative arts. Saumur is an important town on the Loire river towards the south-east of the historical Anjou region, between Angers and Tours and in the heart of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Natural Park. ④ Route planner Saumur Tourism: Tripadvisor has 37,937 reviews of Saumur Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Saumur resource. No. The region around Saumur is well known for its prehistoric traces such as troglodyte caves and dolmens. The town, dominated by the château of the dukes of Anjou, is located on rising ground between the Loire River and its tributary the Thouet, 2 miles (3 km) above their confluence. [12], The chateau, the church of Saint-Pierre-du-Marais and the town hall, seen from across the, Armoured Branch and Cavalry Training School, "The French national horse riding school", "Ruşeţu – satul de pe domeniul Coroanei României", EHESS Population par commune avant 1962 (résultats publiés au journal officiel ou conservés aux archives départementales), INSEE: Population en historique depuis 1968, Tank Museum of Saumur (Musée des Blindés), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saumur&oldid=981936182, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 5 October 2020, at 07:57. The panzers were expected to use the railway to cross the Loire. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In 1685, however, the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, depriving French Protestants of their religious and civil liberties, led to massive emigration and to the closing of the academy. Can't-miss spots to dine, drink, and feast. Its skyline has been compared with that of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. A romantic tour of the wine route or a family cruise? In the heart of the town centre you reach Place Saint-Pierre, which was the heart of medieval Saumur and still has several charming medieval houses in colombage that were built in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the largest in France. There are also several cafes around the Place Saint-Pierre which is a pleasant place to take a coffee break. To the south of Saumur, those at Rochemenier are perhaps the most interesting, with a whole underground village being found in the carved out rock. They failed to destroy the bridge. We have reviews of the best places to see in Saumur. Travelling around France with a disability. The caves dug to excavate the stone have become tunnels and have been used by the local vineyards as locations to store their wines.[2]. In the 12th century it passed into the possession of the French crown. France This Way comment: although the Chateau de Saumur is one of the less interesting castles in the region, it provides an attractive backdrop to the town which also has several other sites of interest and historic monuments, many built with the white stone and grey slate rooves characteristic of the area, and a visit to Saumur is indispensable when you are exploring the Loire Valley. It became a Huguenot stronghold after the Reformation, and a renowned Protestant academy was established there. Explore Saumur holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. more, Create a Trip to save and organize all of your travel ideas, and see them on a map. Margaret of Anjou, queen consort of England’s King Henry VI and a leader of the Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses (1455–85) between the houses of York and Lancaster. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in October. Amongst the most important monuments of Saumur are the great Château de Saumur itself which stands high above the town, and the nearby Château de Beaulieu which stands just 200 metres from the south bank of the Loire river and which was designed by the architect Jean Drapeau. The hastily organized night raid was to stop a planned German Panzer Division, travelling to engage the newly landed allied forces in Normandy. The creation of the National Riding School was aimed at organizing the teaching of riding in France; its vocation to prepare for high level teaching diplomas and top level competition. The Puy Girault Gardens Saumur. Saumur is famous for its elite riding squad, the Cadre Noir, and you can visit their base, the Ecole National d’ Equitation in St Hilaire St Florent, a suburb of Saumur.