Le Chêne Vert - our holiday cottage near Saumur in the Loire Valley, France

Things to see and do in the area

This area will provide you with some suggestions of things to see and places to go in the area. Some suggestions (such as châteaux and leisure parks) will normally be available year after year - although some will only be open in the mid- or high-season. What we call "events" tend to be things that are only on occasionally or for a short period.

Make the most of your stay. Be adventurous: try things that you might not normally try, such as wine tasting, a visit to a museum or even a play ... in french!.

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 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.