French Renovation Project ~ La Bougnolière

Saumur is a beautiful town in the Loire and one not to be missed. It lies an hour north of La Bougnolière and is a nice drive. It's described as the most elegantly bourgeois, with its graceful Château lording it over the handsome townhouses spread out below on both banks of the river and on the large island mid-stream.

The town's 250-year association with the military, as home to the French Cavalry Academy and its successor, the Armoured Corps Academy, has only further elevated its pretensions.

Even the local sparkling wines are renowned for their charm. And the vines are grown very close to the famous Château itself.

The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc. which produce some of France's finest wines.

Saumur is called the white city because of the pale tuffeau stone that a lot of the town is built with. So much stone was excavated to build castles, palaces and bridges that it left a network of tunnels. The miles of tunnels were used to house the work force.

 

A 14th century Chateau de Saumur over-looks the town, this has been a palace and a prison. During its time as a prison the Marquis de Sade was kept there, it is now two museums housing furniture and the history of the horse.

In the town is the world famous Cadre Noir equestrian academy.

The chateau dominates the town from its hilltop. Building began in 1246 under Louis XI and Saumur is one of the rare chateaux that displays 14th century architecture, that came at the end of the Middle Ages and before the Renaissance. In the latter 14th century Charles V's brother, the Duc Louis Ier d'Anjou built the more decorative residence on the site of Louis XI's fortress, prefiguring Renaissance style in the large windows. In the 16th century, when the castle became a Protestant stronghold, the palace was fortified with buttresses and the like.

A fortress during the 13th century under the minority of Saint Louis, then residence of the dukes of Anjou, the castle of Saumur majestically overhangs the Loire River. In 1480 Saumur returned to the estates of Louis XI, King of France, following the death of King René, the last duke of Anjou. The site successively became a residence for the town governors, a prison and a munitions depot. The monument has housed the municipal museum since 1912.