Chateau de Saumur in France: a monastery, an impregnable fortress, a palace and a luxurious prison. things to do in Saumur

The history of the castle begins in the early Middle Ages. In the 10th century, the owner of these places, the Count of Blois, built a small monastery and a military fort near the confluence of the Loire and Thouie rivers. It was he who laid the foundation for the castle of Saumur, named after the town closest to it. The Count of Anjou, Fulk Nerre, captured the still weak fortress from his enemy and noticeably expanded and strengthened it. Geoffroy Plantagenet was also engaged in expanding this fortification, but could not retain the acquisition for a long time, and in 1203 the French king Philip Augustus became the sovereign of the fortress and surrounding lands, annexing them to the French crown.

The fortress received serious strengthening a little later, during the regency of Blanche of Castile, who intended to use this fortification to restore French power and return Angers and Anjou to the crown. Saumur retained its military significance for only 2 years, until the moment when the role of an outpost of France began to be played by the castle of Angers, returned to the French crown and much more powerful.

Then the fate of the castle turned out differently. Louis I in 1360 began a large-scale reconstruction of the castle in order to give it the appearance of a country residence. It significantly ennobles the castle, which looks like an irregular quadrangle with towers at the corners. Thus, the fortress towers, which had a cylinder at the base, were erected by his order as octagonal. Two of the existing towers have preserved their masonry from the 13th century, and the East Tower is richly decorated inside and decorated with images of the coats of arms of the Dukes of Anjou. It should be noted that Louis does not destroy what was created by his predecessors, but somehow ennobles the structure and gives it elegance. For example, the buttresses of the towers support a sentinel belt, also made at a very high artistic level. Construction continues for quite some time. Since 1454, huge amounts of money for those times have been invested in construction. The grandson of Louis I, René, who went down in history as a king-poet, praises Saumur as the castle of Love, not skimping on colorful epithets. In his novel The Heart Captured by Love, he describes Saumur as a castle of pure crystal, standing on an emerald mountain with a roof of pure gold and ruby towers. At this moment, the castle rises above the city, with high turrets and chimneys made of white stone reaching into the sky. The beauty of the castle, dominating the city, even sets the tone for the architecture of all other buildings. Very little has survived from the buildings from the time of King Rene. Just two vaulted rooms located in the tower adjacent to the main one, a chapel decorated with sculpted coats of arms on the vault. After the death of King René in 1480, the castle again became the property of the crown and a military garrison was placed in it.

But in the next century, after the Reformation, the fate of the castle changed dramatically again. In the face of aggravated religious differences, the castle of Saumur is transferred to King Henry IV, the king of Navarre, whose help the French king needed. He immediately entrusts the leadership of the castle to his ambassador Philippe Duplessis-Mornay, who immediately sends his troops into the castle. Moreover, Henry IV considers the castle as an important outpost for his further advance into the Loire Valley, and gives the order to immediately begin strengthening the fortress, regardless of costs. Under the leadership of the engineer Bartolomeo, a fortress wall with bastions grew, which still exists today. Duplessis-Mornay was not only a military man devoted to the king, but also an outstanding theologian of his time. He also glorified the castle by establishing a Protestant academy in 1593, which was famous throughout the country for almost a century. Duplessis-Mornay managed the castle for more than thirty years. But, despite his devotion to the crown, he nevertheless fell out of favor because of his religious views and in 1621 he was replaced by order of Louis XIII with a Catholic ruler. From this moment on, the castle completely loses any influence and begins to deteriorate and collapse. For the next two centuries it functions as a prison. But not quite ordinary. Representatives of the nobility served their sentences in Saumur, often accused simply by denunciation. At that time, the attitude towards noble prisoners, especially of ancient families, was more than loyal. They were allowed to have a servant with a small retinue and leave the castle. Often such prisoners were invited to celebrations in the house of the city governor. In fact, they led their usual way of life. Of the most famous prisoners, only the Marquis De Sade can be named, who stayed in the castle for two weeks. Admiral Kerguelen also “stayed” here for 4 years, for leaving his ship on the high seas, leaving all the people on the ship to the mercy of fate. It is also reliably known that during the American War of Independence, about eight hundred captured English sailors were kept in Saumur. This fact is confirmed by graffiti depicting ships left on the walls. But their conclusion, of course, was not of such a free and cloudless nature, and none of the city fathers invited the sailors to dinner.

The next restoration of the castle was undertaken from 1811 to 1814, but it was not of any cultural nature. The changes affected only the galleries of the north-eastern wing, and their essence was to divide the space into as many chambers as possible. At that time, only those prisoners who could not pay for a separate cell were kept in general cells. Apparently, a significant increase in the number of solvent “guests” was expected. Fortunately, soon after these changes were made, all prisoners were released.

Saumur a little later, in 1889, ceased to be considered a military fortress and over time received the status of a historical monument. The city bought it from the state for a purely symbolic sum and finally began full-scale restoration work and excavations. As a result of these works, room windows decorated with sculptural carvings, fireplaces and amazingly beautiful stained glass in the chapel were discovered. Unfortunately, much of the era of the 14th century can no longer be restored and has been lost forever.

Nowadays, since 1912, the completely restored north-eastern wing of the castle houses the Municipal Museum. Its exhibition features porcelain products from the 19th century, as well as an interesting collection of Flemish tapestries. On the third floor of the castle there is a very unusual horse museum.

In such an unusual way, the amazing fate of a unique historical monument developed. One of the most beautiful castles in France has become a fortress, a country estate, a prison, and even a horse museum. But his true character was forever immortalized by the king-poet, who in his novel wrote on the roof of Saumur the motto of the true god of Love - “To a trembling heart.”

Saumur Castle (Château de Saumur) on the map of France

3 things to do in Saumur:

Form an opinion about the local wines prepared using the “soft” sparkling method: whites from Chenin blanc grapes, sometimes with the addition of chardonnay or sauvignon blanc; as well as pink and red.
Be sure to go to Montsoreau Castle, which is located downstream of the Loire, about 12 km from Saumur. It was here that the romantic and dramatic events of the novel between Count de Bussy and Countess Monsoreau developed, which A. Dumas shamelessly distorted in his book.
On the way to the castle, turn into the village of Parne, which is right on the highway. The main pride of the village is dried apples, and you can not only buy them for future use, but also visit the underground museum of them on a guided tour. Or, more traditionally, buy sparkling red Saumur-Champigny from the cellars of the Marsonnet castle.

A little history

The heart around which the city grew, and the central tourist attraction in Saumur, is, of course, the large white stone castle on the hill. Its outlines will seem vaguely recognizable to those interested in medieval fortresses: the image of the castle in the Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry became a postcard of sorts back in the Middle Ages. The history of the castle, as usual, begins with a 10th century fortress and a monastery. In the 14th century, King Louis I himself had his eye on the castle, on whose order the austere fortress was decorated, making it more secular, but already in the 14th century a new major reconstruction followed. In the 15th century, the Duke of Anjou settled in the castle, in the 16th - Henry of Navarre, the same “Henri the Fourth” from the song (and from the books of A. Dumas). It was here that Henry fled from Paris from the Valois court and hastily rebuilt the castle into a powerful fortification to protect against his enemies. By the 17th century, the role of Saumur in the history of the country ceased to be significant, and prisoners of noble blood began to be kept in the castle. And in the 20th century, the city bought the castle from the government of the country and carried out a large-scale restoration of it.

Today, by paying a little more, visitors can not only climb the tower, but also go down into the former casemates in the dungeons. And on the upper floors of the castle there are two museums: a museum of decorative and applied arts with a wonderful collection of tapestries and porcelain dishes, and a cavalry museum on the floor above. Here it is interesting to examine ancient parts of harnesses from different countries.

For a quarter of a century in a row, from the mid-18th century, the Academy of Cavalry was located in Saumur, and later the Academy of the Armed Forces. Oddly enough, this gave a good impetus to the development of the city, which was depopulated and fell into decay after the Huguenot wars. The Carabinieri opened a riding school in the city, which became very popular, and since then the cavalry has had a special place in the city. During the Second World War, it was the cavalry cadets, many of whom were not yet twenty, who valiantly, although briefly, defended the city. For the courage with which the city resisted the Germans, Saumur was awarded the Military Cross.

Entertainment and attractions of Saumur

The city's oldest church is Notre-Dame de Nantilly, the city's main temple for centuries. Today, the church has a winter garden, and an interesting collection of tapestries is kept inside. Also notable among the city's churches is Saint-Pierre in the Gothic style, decorated with many images of monsters in the Old Town. Near the church on the square of the same name there are several remarkable restored half-timbered buildings. Also interesting is the North-Dame des Ardiers in the east, whose dome was damaged by bombing in 1940, but has now been restored. Other historical landmarks in the city include the medieval Gothic Town Hall from the 16th century and the nearly half-kilometer-long arched Cessart Bridge over the Loire, built in the 18th century.

Definitely a very popular place in Saumur is the House of Wine, where you can not only try it, but also find out where in the city to buy wines of this or that variety, and where to sit in the evening in pleasant company. Well, if you seriously intend to get the most complete impression of the wine riches of the region, it is worth going south, to the suburb of Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, where there is a wine-making cooperative with cellars of enormous size and capacity.

You can touch the cavalry past at the National Equestrian School in the east of Saumur. You can take a tour of the school, look at the stables, and in the morning you can see dressage horses. Also in the eastern part of the city there is a tank museum (historically it is believed that tank units also belong to the cavalry).

A couple of kilometers south of the city is the village of Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent, famous for its wine cellars. They are worth a visit to taste and buy excellent Saumur Brut. And at the same time - go to the museum of masks, which children really like, and the museum of mushrooms - the latter suits interesting excursions through underground mushroom caves, from where more than half of the champignons come to the kitchens of French gourmets. And just a few steps away is the “Stone and Light” park of model architecture.

By the way, the caves of the region are quite a popular attraction. The limestone hills of the Loire Valley were easily eroded, forming many chambers in the low cliffs. These chambers served as homes not only for primitive people, but also for the medieval inhabitants of the region: in the 12th century, up to half of the locals used them as natural homes, and many of the caves remained as such until the period between the two wars. The most famous “cave” place in the region is Rochemenier. Arriving here, you will be surprised at how the businesslike French have transformed these places: restaurants and cafes are open in the caves, there is a chapel, wine stocks and wine presses are stored here, mushrooms are grown and oil is pressed.

Traditional Saturday market in Saumur

Other interesting caves nearby are the semi-underground zoo and serpentarium near Douai-la-Fontaine and Denez-sous-Duai with numerous human figures engraved on the walls, not always in decent poses (though not prehistoric, but created by sectarians in the 16th century as a cynical mockery over Catholic doctrine). You can see everything at once by ordering organized excursion along the so-called “path of the troglodytes.”

Another unusual castle of the Loire, the Chateau de Saumur, stands out among others for its interesting approach to the design of its turrets.

As is the case with most of the castles of the Loire, many events took place here, from the construction of a small wooden fortress by Thibault Plut de Blois, almost immediately captured by Fulk Nerra, and ending with the construction of the fortress of Geoffroy Plantagenet, on the ruins of which the castle of Louis IX was subsequently built, from which, in fact, the history of the Saumur castle began.

In 1203, these lands came into the possession of Philip Augustus. Initially, the castle was intended to protect the lands from attacks, but literally a couple of years later it was relieved of this function by the castle of Angers, built next door, which transferred this burden to itself.

The four corners of the castle of Saumur were crowned with round towers, the western and southern of which have almost completely survived to this day. Saumur began to turn into a sophisticated royal residence in the 14th century, through the efforts of Louis I of Anjou. Moreover, the king did not destroy the heritage of his ancestors, but only gave the castle more regular shapes, replacing the round towers with polygonal ones and decorating them with high buttresses supporting a jagged guard belt.

The grandson of the king, Rene of Anjou, continued his grandfather’s work and allocated unprecedented sums for the improvement of the castle, and later, inspired by the appearance of the finished castle, he sang it in his novel “Hearts Captured by Love” as the castle of Love. Unfortunately, only a small part of what King Rene built has reached us.

Since then, royal garrisons have been stationed in the castle twice, and after Saumur passed into the hands of the King of Navarre, the castle turned into an almost impregnable fortress, acquiring a battlement with watchtowers, most of which also did not survive to our times, because at the end of the 16th century, the castle almost completely turned into ruins.

In the 17th-18th centuries, the castle of Saumur served as a prison for high-ranking officials, who, however, hardly felt very disadvantaged, because had the right to travel to the city, have a small retinue and even dine with His Majesty's Lieutenant. For example, in 1768, the notorious Marquis de Sade was held here for two weeks before being transferred to Pierre-Ancise prison.

View of the medieval bridge and Saumur castle.

And this is a view of the fortress from that very bridge.

During the War for American Independence, about 800 prisoners of war were kept within the walls of the castle, as evidenced by the wall inscriptions and drawings they left behind.

At the end XIX century The castle of Saumur was included in the list of historical monuments of France, and in 1912 it was converted into a museum, for which quite large-scale restoration work was started in 1906, which, however, still could not return the castle to all its former greatness. But even such partial restoration allowed Saumur to make an unforgettable impression on visitors.

http://lifeglobe.net/

Speaking of beautiful and unusual architectural masterpieces, located in the picturesque Loire Valley, one cannot help but highlight the Chateau de Saumur. A castle that looks like a sorcerer’s home or a haunted house. Despite its unique, one might even say fabulous and slightly terrifying appearance,

The Chateau de Saumur in France has never been inhabited by people inhabited by supernatural powers and there have never been any recorded signs of paranormal activity. In fairness, it is worth noting that Saumur makes a gloomy impression only from a distance; when approaching it, you come to the understanding that in front of you rises one of the most beautiful architectural structures, which has become a model for all buildings in the city of the same name.

The castle of Saumur has the shape of an irregular quadrangle, at the corners of which there are round towers. The western and southern towers still retain their 13th-century masonry. The eastern tower has been restored, its vault is decorated with the coats of arms of the Angevin family. Ancient and magnificent Saumur with its white towers and walls sets the tone for the architecture of the entire city, towering above it.

The grandson of Louis I, René, who went down in history as a king-poet, praises Saumur as the castle of Love, not skimping on colorful epithets.

This castle is so beautiful that King René the Good (of Anjou) chose it to describe the castle of Love in his novel “The Heart Captured by Love.” This castle was built on an emerald rock. The walls of the castle were made of pure crystal, and at the end of each wall stood a tower made of ruby stones that glowed with a bright light. The towers were covered with platinum, and the house itself was covered with tiles made of pure gold, on which the motto of the God of Love was inscribed in enamel: “To a trembling heart.” This is how King Rene described Saumur, one of the legendary castles in France.

At this moment, the castle rises above the city, with high turrets and chimneys made of white stone reaching into the sky. The beauty of the castle, dominating the city, even sets the tone for the architecture of all other buildings. Very little has survived from the buildings from the time of King Rene. Just two vaulted rooms located in the tower adjacent to the main one, a chapel decorated with sculpted coats of arms on the vault. After the death of King René in 1480, the castle again became the property of the crown and a military garrison was placed in it.

In the very heart of France, among vineyards and lush green meadows, the ancient town of Saumur lives its quiet and measured life. Its name comes from the Latin “sol murus”, which means “small fort in the swamps”.

The history of this place is shrouded in fog. It is reliably known that in the 10th century the Count of Blois built a small monastery and a military fort here. From this moment the history of Saumur Castle begins.

The first owners of the castle: Counts of Blois and Louis 1 of Anjou
As mentioned above, according to official version The first building on the site where the castle of Saumur is now located appeared in the 10th century. The documents say that Count Tybalt the Evil, from the famous dynasty of Blois, built a monastery and fortress in the place where the Loire and Thues merge.

The Count of Anjou recaptured this fortress from Tybalt the Evil (Count de Blois). He completed the then weak tower, expanded it, and strengthened it. The fort was then rebuilt by Geoffroy Plantagenet.

And in 1203, Philip Augustus included the castle of Saumur as part of the royal lands.

According to historians, during the regency of Blanche of Castile, a powerful fortress was erected on the site of the fort so that the French Crown could regain Angers and Anjou, lost at the conclusion of the Treaty of Vendôme. Saumur was not a military fortress for long - only two years from the time of construction.

In 1360, Louis I of Anjou took possession of Saumur, and through his efforts the old, rough fortress acquired the features of a country castle. He significantly ennobled the castle, which looks like an irregular quadrangle with towers at the corners. Thus, the fortress towers, which had a cylinder at the base, were erected by his order as octagonal.

Two of the existing towers have preserved their masonry from the 13th century, and the East Tower is richly decorated inside and decorated with images of the coats of arms of the Dukes of Anjou. It should be noted that Louis does not destroy what was created by his predecessors, but somehow ennobles the structure and gives it elegance.

For example, the buttresses of the towers support a sentinel belt, also made at a very high artistic level. Construction continues for quite some time. Since 1454, huge amounts of money for those times have been invested in construction.

The following changes occurred with Saumur in 1454.

According to the records of the intendant and the accounts kept in the National Archives, we can say that work was carried out at the castle in the years 1454 - 1472. Their scale and grandeur can be judged by the funds spent. All that remains of the early buildings are two small vaulted rooms located in a square tower, a chapel on the second floor and an alley leading from a steep slope to the tower.

Rene of Anjou and second wife Jeanne de Laval. Diptych by Nicolas Froment. 1475-80. Louvre. Paris

In 1480, after the death of King René, the Duchy of Anjou came into the possession of the French Crown. The castle houses the royal garrison.

Henry!U of Navarre (right) and Philippe Duplessis-Mornay (left)

Moreover, Henry IV considers the castle as an important outpost for his further advance into the Loire Valley, and gives the order to immediately begin strengthening the fortress, regardless of costs. Under the leadership of the engineer Bartolomeo, a fortress wall with bastions grew, which still exists today. Duplessis-Mornay was not only a military man devoted to the king, but also an outstanding theologian of his time. He also glorified the castle by establishing a Protestant academy in 1593, which was famous throughout the country for almost a century.

In 1589, on April 15, Duplessis-Mornay brought his garrison into the castle. A day later, the King of Navarre arrives in Saumur. He, rejoicing at having received such a “tidbit” of the Loire, gives the new governor the order to strengthen this place. To do this, King Bartolomeo’s engineer arrives at the fortress; he is tasked with “without skimping on anything” to draw up a design for the castle and bring it to life. He erected city fortifications, a fortress wall with battlements and watchtowers, which still surrounds the castle.

Arriving in Saumur, Mornay and his family settled in town house No. 45 on Grand Rue. But in 1596, he decides to settle in the castle due to a conspiracy of the townspeople who threatened the ambassador to seize him and commit reprisals. To bring the castle into a habitable condition, Duplessis-Mornay had to spend a considerable amount, but these costs were justified. An experienced diplomat and former military man, Mornay was also a learned theologian. And in 1593, he created a Protestant academy in the castle, which brought glory to the city for a whole century.

Duplessis-Mornay managed the castle for more than thirty years. But, despite his devotion to the crown, he nevertheless fell out of favor because of his religious views and in 1621 he was replaced by order of Louis XIII with a Catholic ruler. From this moment on, the castle completely loses any influence and begins to deteriorate and collapse. For the next two centuries it functions as a prison. But not quite ordinary.

Representatives of the nobility served their sentences in Saumur, often accused simply by denunciation. At that time, the attitude towards noble prisoners, especially of ancient families, was more than loyal. They were allowed to have a servant with a small retinue and leave the castle. Often such prisoners were invited to celebrations in the house of the city governor.

Admiral Kerguelen (left) and Marquis de Sade (right)

In fact, they led their usual way of life. Of the most famous prisoners, only the Marquis De Sade can be named, who stayed in the castle for two weeks. Admiral Kerguelen also “stayed” here for 4 years, for leaving his ship on the high seas, leaving all the people on the ship to the mercy of fate.

It is also reliably known that during the American War of Independence, about eight hundred captured English sailors were kept in Saumur. This fact is confirmed by graffiti depicting ships left on the walls. But their conclusion, of course, was not of such a free and cloudless nature, and none of the city fathers invited the sailors to dinner.

Le Château de Saumur, façade sud. Miniature de septembre dans Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, vers 1440, musée Condé,

As a result of these works, room windows decorated with sculptural carvings, fireplaces and amazingly beautiful stained glass in the chapel were discovered. Unfortunately, much of the era of the 14th century can no longer be restored and has been lost forever.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Saumur bought the castle from the state for 2,500 francs (a small amount) and decided to restore it. This idea was implemented at the expense of the city and the administration of the Academy of Fine Arts.

Unfortunately, the restoration, which was carried out very carefully and painstakingly, was unable to recreate the splendor and elegance that were inherent in 14th-century Saumur.

Information for tourists

Schedule:
April 01-June 30 and September 01-November 03: 10:00-13:00 / 14:00-17:30 (Tuesday to Sunday)
July 01-August 31: 10:00-18:00 (Tuesday to Sunday)

The city itself was once a stronghold of Protestantism in the region, allowing the city to flourish during the Edict of Nantes on religious freedom.

Of all the comfortable towns along the Loire, Saumur is the most elegant, with its graceful castle, refreshing sparkling wine and 250-year-old military connection. The city still preserves the aristocratic French Cavalry Academy and its successor, the Academy's Tank Corps, so that from time to time in Saumur you can see officers in uniform walking. Once you've seen the Chateau de Saumur and its sparkling wine cellars, there's not much to do here. But Saumur itself is a convenient place to drive around the beautiful province to the west, or head east towards the province.

Saumur weather:

History of Saumur:

Saumur reached its valerian apogee during the reign of King René, and later, in the 16th century, earned itself notoriety as a Protestant fortress - a frightened Louise of Bourbon, abbess of the Fontevraud monastery, called Saumur a "second Geneva" - as a potential rival to this stronghold of Calvinism in Switzerland. Henry IV's ruler of Saumur and "Protestant Pope," Philippe Duplessis-Mornay, helped issue the Edict of Nantes, which granted freedom of religion. He also founded the Protestant Academy in Saumur, whose students and teachers supported the miniature economy and cultural boom in the city: the riding school at the academy attracted Protestants from even England and Holland.

When the Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685, the Protestant population was forced to leave the city, and Saumur itself survived only through river trade.

In 1767, Minister Choiseul moved the national riding school to Saumur, ensuring the preservation of the city's equestrian tradition. The school was expanded in 1824 and renamed the "Royal School of Cavalry" (École Royale de Cavalerie); it is now a military college with the full name École d'Application de l'Armé Blindée et de Cavalerie, or Academy Tank Corps. Saumur's current elite riding school, the École d'Équitation, is a civic institute located in the suburbs.

In the 19th century, local merchants became rich thanks to the textile industry. Balzac's satirical heroine, reflecting the provincial-bourgeois society of Saumur, "Eugenie Grande", left not the best mark on the city's reputation, but the heroic defense of the Loire in 1940 returned the city's prestige.

Today, Saumur's prosperity rests on its thriving wine industry, tourism and horse riding.

Getting to Saumur:

Saumur Station:

Gare SNCF Avenue David d'Angers 49400 Saumur
Opening hours: Mon - Sat 4:30 - 23:00, Sun and holidays. 4:30 - 00:15
Ticket offices: Mon - Sat 5:55 - 20:00, Sun and holidays. 8:05 – 21:45

Train schedule to Saumur:

Travaux Ligne 14 Les Sables d Olonne - La Roche sur Yon - Bressuire - Saumur du 20-11-19 au 15-12-19 (PDF, 331.66 Ko)Mise à jour le 21 November 2019.
Horaires Ligne 14 Les Sables d Olonne - La Roche sur Yon - Bressuire - Saumur du 06-07-19 au 14-12-19 V2 du 17-07-19 (PDF, 307.91 Ko)Mise à jour le 17 juillet 2019.
Mise à jour le 22 August 2019.
Horaires Ligne 26 Le Mans - La Flèche - Saumur du 06-07-19 au 14-12-19 V1 du 03-07-19 (PDF, 1.7 Mo)Mise à jour le 07 August 2019.
Affiche Horaires Ligne 14 Les Sables d'Olonne - La Rochr-sur-Yon - Bressuire - Saumur du 15-12-2019 au 12-04-2020 V2 (PDF, 439.68 Ko)Mise à jour le 02 December 2019.
Horaires Ligne 26 Le Mans - La Flèche - Saumur du 15-12-19 au 03-07-20 (PDF, 1.65 Mo)Mise a jour le 28 November 2019.

Train Saumur - Angers:

Travel time: 21 - 33 minutes
Ticket: standard ticket - 9.10 €.
Schedule:
- Horaires ligne 19 Nantes - Angers - Saumur du 09-09-19 au 14-12-19 (PDF, 277.23 Ko)Mise à jour le 22 August 2019.

Train Saumur - Nantes:

Travel time: 1:05 - 1:21
Ticket: standard ticket - 22.90 €, non-refundable - 15 €.
Schedule:
- Horaires ligne 19 Nantes - Angers - Saumur du 09-09-19 au 14-12-19 (PDF, 277.23 Ko)Mise à jour le 22 August 2019.
- L19 Nantes - Angers - Saumur du 15-12-19 au 05-01-20 (PDF, 426.46 Ko)Mise a jour le 28 November 2019.

Getting around Saumur:

Arriving at the Saumur station, you will find yourself on the northern bank of the Loire. Turn right onto avenue David d'Angers and either take bus #30 to the center or cross the bridge and head towards Île d'Offard on foot. From the island, the old Pont Cessart bridge will take you to the center of Saumur, located on south coast rivers. There is also a bus station here gare router, a few blocks away, at place St-Nicolas. Tourist office Saumur is located next to the bridge at place de la Bilange.

The old quarter is located in the lower part of the city, between the castle and the Hôtel de Ville - the city hall, which is impossible to miss - a few steps east of the Pont Cessart.

You can rent a bicycle at Détours de Loire, 2 ave David d’Angers, near the station.

Saumur map:

Sights of Saumur:

In addition to the magnificent castle, you can stroll through the tiny quarter of the old city, described by Balzac in his novel Eugenie Grande. Unfortunately, the historical cavalry school, now called École d'Application de l'Armé Blindée et de Cavalerie, is closed to the public. But in Saumur you can admire many churches built in different eras. Many tourists head straight to the suburbs, where, surprisingly, some of Saumur's most interesting attractions are located.

Castle of Saumur

Château de Saumur towers over the entire city. The castle houses a collection dedicated to decorative arts, painting, archeology and natural sciences. The museum - Musée des Arts Décoratifs - presents one of the best collections of porcelain in France, tapestries from the 15th to 18th centuries, and items related to horse riding. Entrance € 6, in high season (July 1 - August 31) - € 7.

The castle was originally built in the 10th century, but the current structure was erected mainly in the second half of the 14th century by Louis I, Duke of Anjou, who was trying to compete with his brothers Jean, Duke of Berry, and Charles V. Threat of looting from the English soldiers forced the masons to give it their all - they were not allowed to stop even on holidays. After the death of Rene of Anjou in 1480, the castle came into the possession of the French crown and gradually began to fall into disrepair, being used for various needs: as an arsenal, prison and ammunition warehouse.

The castle's forbidding appearance suffered in April 2001 when a large piece of the star-shaped fortifications added by Philippe Dupdessy-Mornay collapsed down towards the river. The castle itself was built on a stronger foundation, but local authorities decided to carry out a large program to restore the castle.

Visit Saumur Castle:

LOW SEASON: From April 1 to June 14 and from September 16 to November 2 from Tuesday to Sunday and on holidays 10 - 13 / 14 - 17:30.

Full price: € 6
Reduced: € 4
Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children or more): 18 €
Group ticket (from 12 people): 4.5€
Preferential group (from 12 people): 3.5 €

Full price: € 7
Reduced: 5 €
Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children): €20 (+ €1 for each additional child)
Groups from 12 people: 5.50 €
Free for children under 7 years old

Lower town of Saumur:

The oldest and most atmospheric quarter of Saumur is located around place St-Pierre, an ancient crossroads and the heart of the city. A couple of half-timbered houses have been preserved here from the 16th century, one façade of which is decorated with very life-like figures.

Tour Grenetière

On Rue Fourrier and the streets running south from rue Dacier, here and there there are houses from the 16th century and earlier. On rue des Païens, tower Tour Grenetière preserved from the city's 15th-century fortifications. Later it was used as a prison for those who tried to evade paying the salt tax. You can climb to the top of the tower and admire the view of Saumur from above (July and August, except Tuesdays, 10 - 13 / 14 - 17:30, 2 €).

Church of Saint-Pierre

The Church of Saint-Pierre (église St-Pierre), just to the side of rue Haute St-Pierre (9 - 12 / 14 - 17) stands out with its Counter-Reformation façade. It was built in Saumur to force the stubborn Protestant inhabitants to obey. Its unusual half-Romanesque, half-Gothic interior is quite modest, although the choir seats are lavishly carved, and a 16th-century tapestry features a colorful depiction of St. Petra.

River embankment

The river embankment was once located outside the fortress walls, bustling with river trade. These days there are only cars here, although you can stroll along the river under the fortifications.

City Hall of Saumur

Saumur City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), partly built in the 16th century, located on quai Lucien Gautier, overlooks the river. Next to it you can taste the sparkling wines of Saumur at the Maison du Vin. Local staff will give you addresses of winemakers and recommend cellars to visit.

Two of Saumur's most interesting sights, both churches, are located on the outskirts of the old town.

Notre-Dame de Nantilly

To the south of the castle stands the oldest church in the city - Notre-Dame de Nantilly(hedgehog 9–18) - where you can admire a magnificent collection of tapestries from the 16th - 17th centuries. The church itself is beautiful in its austere Romanesque style, with a wide aisle supported by 4-meter-thick walls. Don't miss the statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from wood in the 12th century, which is now on display in the right transept.

Notre-Dame des Ardilliers

Notre-Dame des Ardilliers , located down the river on the east side of the city (hedge 8 - 12 / 14 - 18.30). The church was founded on the site of a spring, now dried up, where a statue of the Pietà was miraculously found in the 15th century. The church was dedicated to Louis XIV, a typically grand Baroque structure dominated by a huge dome with a rotunda, which was rebuilt after the bombing in June 1940. The adjacent Oratory building used to belong to the theological college, created to combat the dogma of the Protestant academy. Now retired clergy live here, there is a school for girls and a small commune of nuns.

Suburbs of Saumur:

Some of Saumur's best attractions are located in the suburbs, particularly around the village St-Hilaire-St-Florent, 2 km west of the center of Saumur. This is where the best are sparkling wine cellars(Ackerman-Laurance, Bouvet-Ladubay, Langlois-Château, Gratien & Meyer and Veuve Amiot), as well as National Riding School. And near Bagneux are some of the most impressive dolmens in France. IN Musée des Blindes a huge collection of tanks has been collected.

Where is: Loire Valley, 70 km southeast of Angers.
How to get there:
- by bus. From Angers - No. 5, 11. 10 times a day, travel time 1 hour 30 minutes, price 10 euros.
- by train. From Tours 1 time per hour, travel time 50 minutes, price 12 euros. From Angers 1 time per hour, travel time 30 minutes, price 10 euros.
Website
What to look at: The city of Saumur is famous for its riding school, mushrooms and unique sparkling sparkling (pearl) wine, and also, of course, the castle. Starts from this city a tourist route"Valley of the Troglodytes".

Tourist office
Where is: pl.de la Bilange
Website
How does it work: from Mon. on Sat. 9.15-19.00, Sun. 10.30-12.30 and 15.30-18.30.

Around town
The period of greatest prosperity of the city of Saumur occurred in the 16th - 17th centuries, when, after the end of the religious wars of 1552-1589, a document was signed declaring Saumur a completely open and safe city for Protestants. A Protestant academy opened and a religious order established itself. Philippe Duplessis-Mornay, an ambassador and friend of Henry of Navarre, became the governor of Saumur.

The old quarters of the city and the castle are located on the southern bank of the Loire. It is connected to the northern one by a stone multi-span bridge. central square pl. St-Pierre is formed by well-restored stone and half-timbered houses. It's on it Church of St. Petra (Eglise St-Pierre), which houses 16th-century tapestries.

The trainers of the National Riding School, prancing on horses through the narrow streets, give the city an incomparable medieval flavor.

National riding school (Ecole Nationale d'equitation)
Where is: 3 km west of the city center in the town of St-Hilaire-St-Florent
How does it work: from Tuesday to Saturday the school can be visited at 9.30 and 14.00, on Monday - at 14.00 (visit only with a guided tour).
Price issue: 7 euros.
What to look at: The school is designed to train horses and prepare riders for the most important competitions. The school is known throughout the world as the center of Cadre Noir - a special cultural phenomenon that arose from schools that taught horse riding to officers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A horse trained in this very rigid technique can, at the rider's command, raise his front legs one at a time at an angle of 45 degrees, without bending them at the knee. Cadre Noir riders wear a special uniform: black hat, black vest, golden spurs. The whip is decorated with three golden wings. The school, which is more like a private club, cannot have more than 24 instructors. The first woman was admitted only in 1984.

Every day horses produce more than 10 tons of manure, so in the immediate area there are many farms specializing in growing champignons. Man-made caves, which cover the entire “Valley of the Troglodytes,” are ideal for driving out fruiting bodies. In one of the caves there is Champignon Museum (Musee du Champignon), introducing visitors to mushroom growing technologies. It is located in a small village near Saumur - in St-Hilaire-St-Florent, open 10.00-12.30 and 14.00-18.00, in the summer until 19.30. Website .

The castle of Saumur rises on a hill above the city.

Chateau de Saumur
How does it work: from July to September daily 10.00-17.00, from October to May closed on Tuesday.
Price issue: 4.50 euro

The castle is located on a hill (on the so-called emerald rock) above the city and is the most beautiful view to it - from the bridge or the northern part of the city. History of the castle that's how it is. It originally belonged to the Count of Blois, Thibault “The Dodger,” although it should be noted that even in the era of the Gauls there was a military settlement here. It was captured by Fulk III Nerra, after which the next owner, Geoffrey Godfrey Plantagenet, built a fortress. From it the ruins at the base of the south-eastern wing have reached us. In 1203, it was annexed to the royal domain by Philip II Augustus, a rival of the Plantagenets. It was then that the plan of the castle was established in the shape of an irregular rectangle, at the corners of which round towers rise in strict accordance with the cardinal axis of the building. According to historians, between 1227 and 1230, during the regency of Blanche of Castile, a fortified castle was erected on this site in order to enable the French crown to regain Angers and part of Anjou, lost at the conclusion of the Treaty of Vendôme. Like many fortresses of those centuries, Saumur had the fate of moving from prosperity to decline, because military fortunes are always so changeable. The last time Saumur defended its walls from the Nazis, and stubbornly, with the help of cadets from the local military school, was in June 1940.

In its current form, Saumur appeared at the end of the 14th century and was then completed until the 16th century. For some time, Saumur even competed with the powerful fortress of Angers, located nearby. The strategic importance of the fortress lay in the fact that it controlled the route to Tours and Poitiers. That's why fortress constantly rebuilt and strengthened. However, the military purpose of Saumur was short-lived, lasting only two years after the construction of the castle, due to the fact that Saint Louis ordered the construction of a huge fortress in Angers, which became the royal residence, which is still located there.

Starting from the second half of the 14th century, the rough building from the time of King Louis the Saint turns into a beautiful country castle through the efforts of Louis I of Anjou, the second son of John the Good, who in 1360 received Anjou as an inheritance, which became a duchy. Louis I did not destroy the fortress of his ancestors, but transformed it, using the previous plan and the bases of round towers, on which he ordered the construction of polygonal towers, equipped with high buttresses that supported a guard belt with crenellated machicolations.

In the 15th century, King René of Anjou "the Good" renovated the interiors, of which today only two small vaulted rooms in one of the towers, chapel with sculpted coats of arms on the second floor and alley, leading along the hillside to a tower, the lock of which is decorated with “knots of love” in honor of Jeanne de Laval, who married in 1454. The castle of Saumur was so beautiful that René of Anjou, the poet-king, chose it from many others to describe it in his novel “The Heart Captured by Love.” "...This beautiful pleasure castle was built on the Emerald Rock, along which ran a vein of sparkling diamonds scattered everywhere, there were even more of them than emeralds. The four walls of this beautiful castle were made of pure crystal, and each wall ended with a thick tower made of precious ruby stones that burned with fire, each larger than a man, and these towers were covered with platinum the width of a palm, and the house between the towers was covered with tiles of pure gold, on which the motto of the God of love was skillfully inscribed in enamel: “To a trembling heart.” And to imagine this castle even better, it can only be compared with Saumur in Anjou, which stands on the Loire River."

After the death of King René, the Duchy of Anjou passed to the French crown, and the castle became a royal garrison. In the 16th century, the fortress was rebuilt by the Italian engineer Bartolomeo. By this time, Saumur had also developed economically; his wines were famous throughout Europe. The cellars of Saumur are still known today.

The intensity that the religious wars took on due to the machinations of the League and the intrigues of Spain forced Henry III to ask for help from the King of Navarre. According to the agreement signed in Tours, Henry III ceded Saumur, where there were many Protestants, to the king of Navarre. The future Henry IV entrusted general military leadership in Saumur to his ambassador and friend Philippe Duplessis-Mornay. On April 15, 1589, he entered Saumur and introduced his garrison there. A day later, the King of Navarre enters the city tower, not hiding his joy at possessing this key to the Loire, and gives orders to the new governor to strengthen this place." with all possible diligence and without skimping on anything" and leaves him his engineer Bartolomeo to draw up and implement projects.

In addition to the city fortifications, Bartolomeo erects a stone wall with battlements and bastions using building stone to encircle the castle. This wall, unfortunately, has lost many small protruding watchtowers that allowed observation from the corner bastions.

Upon arrival in Saumur, Mornay and his family lived in the "town house" No. 45 Grande rue - a modern and comfortable house, since " the castle was completely in ruins"However, he decides to settle in the castle in 1596 for the reason" a conspiracy undertaken by several townspeople who threaten to capture him and deal with him". To put the castle in order, he had to spend a lot of money. A former military man, an experienced diplomat, Duplessis-Mornay was, in addition, a learned theologian. In 1593, he founded a Protestant academy in Saumur, which brought glory to the city for almost a century.

Duplessis-Mornay was a loyal servant of the Crown for 32 years under two kings. Despite this, in 1621 he fell out of favor. Louis XIII replaces him with a Catholic ruler. From then on, the castle ceased to play a military and political role, and less glorious times began for it. The ancient citadel, the abandoned walls of which are gradually beginning to collapse, has served for almost two centuries prison.

This prison was known for its liberal rules, since it was intended exclusively for noble prisoners who were brought here by secret denunciation. Prisoners often had a servant or even a small retinue with them, they could go out into the city, and His Majesty the King's Lieutenant, who ruled the city, willingly invited them to his table.

The prison's most famous prisoner was the Marquis de Sade, who served two weeks here in 1768 before being sent to Pierre-Ancise prison (near Lyon). Admiral Kerguelen was imprisoned much longer - 4 years. He plowed southern seas and was accused upon returning from an unsuccessful expedition of abandoning a ship with people on the open sea. During the war for the independence of the American colonies from England, 7,800 captured English sailors were kept in the castle (in the donjon, the chapel of the building overlooking the square, and in other service buildings erected on the fortifications), who painted the walls of the cells with boats, accompanying them with their names and dates capture.

New restoration work, begun in 1811, was completed in 1814. Apparently at this time the large galleries of the north-east wing were divided into cells, since the engineer was instructed not to forget “that in a state prison it is necessary to have as many isolated rooms as possible and leave a small number of common rooms - for persons who do not have sufficient funds to occupy a separate room." As soon as this prison began to function, the provisional government ordered the release of all prisoners.

In 1889, the donjon was removed from the list of military buildings and a few years later included in historical monuments. At the end of the 19th century, the then mayor of the city, Dr. Peton, began to seek the transformation of the castle into museum, and in 1906 the city bought the castle from the state for a very small sum of 2,500 francs. The city immediately decides to undertake the restoration of the castle using funds shared with the administration of the Academy of Fine Arts. Thus, large room windows with sculptural carvings and crosshairs, the remains of large fireplaces, and a stained-glass window of the chapel were discovered. Enameled tiles and, what is especially valuable, a coin with the image of Louis XIV were found under the mound, which made it possible to determine the approximate date of the castle's transformation into a prison. Unfortunately, the 20th century restoration, which, although carried out with the greatest painstaking care, was unable to recreate the sculptural decoration of the doors, windows and fireplaces in the splendor that they had in the 14th century.

Since 1912, on the second floor of the northeastern wing, completely restored, as well as the towers that close it on both sides, there has been a city museum with a collection of medieval sculpture, ceramics, household items and interior design. There is also an exhibition on the history of the castle itself. The third floor is at the disposal of the newly created Equestrian Museum.

Around the castle
The silhouette of Saumur is typical of the era. The multifaceted towers, placed close to each other, rest on round plinths. The entire hill is lined with stone. The machicolations, although purely decorative, go around all the walls and towers. The entrance tower is placed slightly at an angle to the wall, which is dictated by fortification requirements. From the miniature of the luxurious Book of Hours of the Duke de Berry, where the castle is presented, one can judge that initially the spiers of the towers were crowned with gilded crowns of lily leaves. As King Rene wrote in his poem, it seemed that a ray of sun was lingering on them. In the book of hours, Saumur is presented in a miniature dedicated to September, when the grapes ripened and their harvest began.

The southern and western towers have almost completely preserved the masonry of the 13th century, and on ground floor- original one with six ribs. The eastern tower, restored from the outside, is more richly decorated inside, and its vault is decorated with the coats of arms of the Dukes of Anjou.

Museum within the walls of the castle shows examples of decorative and applied art: Limoges enamels, wooden sculpture, furniture, tapestries, ancient manuscripts, religious objects. The museum's collections look great in the spacious halls made of cut stone, with old fireplaces. Narrow door portals. A rare example of applied art - an enamel cross dating back to the beginning of the production of enamels in Limoges. Among the French carpets, a composition with a hunting scene (atelier of the city of Arras) stands out - part of the ensemble stored in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This trellis is distinguished by a delicate pattern and a delicately selected color ratio. From the same workshop comes a carpet with a scene of a masquerade ball, and a tapestry of the Siege of Jerusalem. An excellent collection of porcelain and earthenware is represented by the ceramic production of Nîmes, Rouen, Nevers and Marseille. The workshops from Nevers are distinguished by their predilection for a yellow background on which blue plants are depicted (flower stand, etc.). Marseille production is represented mainly by porcelain in the Rococo style.

In the halls of the castle there is Horse Museum, founded in 1911. The museum exhibits horse harnesses and cavalry combat equipment. A series of engravings by the English artist Stubbs, very popular in the 18th century on the continent, shows horses as a proud and romantic animal. A model of the building of the Cavalry School, whose students defended Saumur in 1940, complements the exhibition.

Row trellis from the museum in the castle is shown in the city church of Notre Dame. The Romanesque church of Saint-Pierre, extensively restored, houses tapestries representing the lives of saints. So it can be argued that the collections of Saumur, with a rich collection of carpets, can be second only to Angers, being after it the most significant in the Loire.

Located on the banks of the Loire town hall. The spring flood sometimes rushes straight to its walls. The town hall, built in the 15th century, resembles a small fortress, which is understandable given that it was once approached by a bridge across the Loire, which it was designed to protect.

What else to see in the vicinity of Saumur?

At the ancient abbey of Saint-Florian, near Saumur, there is a dolmen - "Big Dolmen", one of the most famous megalithic examples of ancient cultures in France. About twenty meters long, it is made of sixteen huge stone blocks placed vertically. At their end, at a height of three meters, rest the blocks covering the dolmen from above. So the whole structure forms a kind of corridor.

Not far from Saumur (about 10 km) there is Breze Castle(Chateau de Breze) with a kilometer of dungeons open to visitors. Also within reach is located