Place du Château - Torist Information

 
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Things we think you might be interested in are:

Historic Sites

There really is no shortage of these - and you'll get maximum benefit if you take along a book about French and English history.

A few sites within about half an hour's drive:

Fontevrauld Abbey

This is a remarkable building with a truly amazing history. It's main claim to fame for English visitors is that it is the burial place of Henry II and his incredible wife, Eleanor of Acquitaine. It is also the last resting place of Richard the Lionheart's heart (but not the rest of him.

There is a lot more to the place than just that, though. It would appear that it was a centre of women's liberation as long ago as the 13th century. (There is nothing new under the sun!) Many influential women in early European history were strongly influenced by the ideals of Fontevrault.

Then there was Napoleon. In France, there is always Napoleon! He wasn't to keen on churches and he turned this place into a prison.

Want to know more? Visit here for more about the abbey.

The official site is quite good but you will need reasonable french (and flash installed on your PC).

There are some good photos here (but no real text).

You can find out a little more about Eleanor of Acquitaine here.

 

Fontevrault Abbey

 

King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine

 
Saumur

Saumur Château

 

The Tank Museum

 

The old town

  

The obvious place to visit in Saumur is the château - and it amply repays a visit. In particular, the view is good. However, it doesn't really have the weight of history of some of it's neighbours. (Look here for a good web site about Saumur and other places of interest nearby.)

Saumur's real claim to fame is that it is the home of France's main cavelry regiment. This occupies a large area of the town and, in the summer, it is often possible to see parades and equestrian demonstrations. (Because of this influence, the area has a strong tradition of horsemanship generally.)

Although horses are big in Saumur, the regiment is now largely mechanised. This means tanks! The town houses a massive tank museum (the Musée des Blindés). I'm really not into military stuff and even I was impressed. It's worth a visit.

It's also a great place to eat out and there are some reasonable shops. Special mention should be made of the wines of the area (there is a well-known quality red wine known as Saumur red and a surprisingly good Saumur white as well) and mushrooms (visit the Musée du Champignon).
   
   
   

 

Some notable sites further afield:

These are, by and large, well documented sites and comments here will be brief.

Chenonceau

Official site: www.chenonceau.com

Spectacularly beautiful. Built across the river, it epitomises the châteaux of the Loire.

Be warned: it is extremely popular and, unless you go in the depth of winter, you are likely to be competing with the hordes. It is also quite expensive - but understandably so.

Note the grounds are also attractive and most of the grounds are free.

About 2 hours away by car.
Amboise

There is so much to see in Ambouise: especially the royal château (whose main character from history was François I - France's equivalent of Henry VIII) and le château du Clos Lucé (where Leonardo da Vince spent his last years). I particularly recommend the latter, where you can also sit quietly in the gardens.

About 2 hours by car.
Azay le Rideau

Another marvellous château - and maybe a little less besieged by tourists.

About 1 hour by car.

Places where you can eat and drink

In this section we shall provide details of restaurants that we can recommend with confidence or that have been recommended strongly by guests.

Saumur

The problem is that we have eaten in so many here that we can't remember their names. It's a fabulous town to eat. There are three main eating areas that we have found:

By the Château

We haven't managed this and there aren't many options. I think there is one on the road looking out over the Loire and - inevitably - you can eat in the castle grounds. The view is superb and it would be a good place to take a picnic. (There are some picnic tables outside the château.)

The old town

This is behind the main street, heading towards the château. If you enter the town from the north there are plenty of parking spaces along the Loire to the left (behind the Marie) and it's only a short walk from there to the old town.

There are a number of excellent restaurants around the square (in front of the old church) but be careful: some of them are very expensive and offer little more than cheaper ones. Also, don't settle too quickly for the obvious ones: some of the smaller establishments and out-of-the-way places are worth considering. In particular, in one of the side streets, there is an Indian restaurant like no other that I have ever eaten in and well worth a visit.

On and around the Main road

The restaurants along the main road are probably less adventurous and less value for money. They can also be very busy and involve long waits for your food. They are an easy option, though, and very convenient for shopping.

Try some of the streets off to the right as you walk with your back to the Loire. In particular, there are a lot of interesting places on rue St Nicolas and the streets of it.

Doué-la-Fontaine

La Halte

This is on the road into Doué from the "giraffe roundabaout". We have eaten there a few lunch times. It provides basic fare but is cheap (a three course meal for 12€) and there are courses that even the unadventurous should be happy with. (It's ideally placed for an afternoon trip to the zoo.)

La Taverne d’Antoine

This is on the road between Doué and Saumur. It's actually in the small community of Les Ulmes. In the evening, this can really come to life and (of course) you can eat out the back when the weather is warm. The food is excellent.

Rochmenier

This is a small, troglodyte village. There are two restaurants here and the one we have had recommended is the second as you leave the caves. It's built into the rocks itself and apparently you will get the chance to see the bread ovens which create one of its specialities.

Liesure activities

Plans d'eau

St Paul du Bois

St Paul du Bois is a small village on the way to Cholet. It provides a well-kept plan d'eau for swimming, playing simple sports and picnics - or just lying on the grass in the sun.

It may or may not be an attraction to you, but there are a lot of english speakers in the village and there's a good chance you might encounter one or two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shopping

Here we will provide details of town shopping and local markets.