A region to be discovered on foot, bicycle, by horse, by boat, in the air or underground:
The holiday shelter THE COTTAGE is a perfect base to discover the area:
So many possibilities !
Between Angers and Tours, Saumur is a magnificent city full of history and an excellent starting point to uncover the beauty of the Loire Valley with its many castles.
In the heart of the vineyard Saumur Champigny, «THE COTTAGE” will provide you the quietness and the services of the village of Varrains. You will be charmed by the succession of character properties and wine growers’ houses.
Many shelter a vast network of cellars in tuffeau.
From ” THE COTTAGE ” you will discover:
To 5 km of Saumur, its castle, its old town as well as the “Cadre Noir”, a famous French horse riding school.
It takes 10 mins the Abbey of Fontevraud, the castles of Brézé and Montsoreau, the troglodytes and many wine cellars of the region.
In 3 km the famous Tank Museum.
Within an hour you are amongst several castles of the Loire valley classified in the UNESCO.
There is a lot to see and explore and we are very happy to advise and assist you to get the most out of your 1 or 2 week stay.
Varrains is in the center of the Saumur Champigny vineyard:
If you wish, we shall make you discover wines obtained from our vineyard produced by the cellar Robert and Marcel where we are co-workers.
Red, white or rosé wines to be discovered in moderation.
Saumur Brut and spirit:
Sparkling wines from Saumur are nice and cheap.
Come to visit all these cellars like Ackerman, Bouvet-ladubay, Langlois château, Gratien Meyer, les caves de Grenelle, veuve Amiot.
COMBIER will make you discover the oldest distillery of the Val de Loire still in business.
All proposes you visits and tastings.
SAUMUR HORSE CAPITAL: to discover the national riding school and its famous Cadre Noir: visits and shows throughout the season to be absolutely seen.
Cavalry Museum: situated in the former stables of the Cadre Noir, built in 1927, this museum redraws the history of the cavalry from 1445 to nowadays.
You can also visit Saumur in carriage.
TROGLODYTES of plain or cliff:
Saumur area has been fortunate to benefit variety troglodytic sites, former extraction quarries of the “tuffe”.::
Some sites nearby: mushroom museum, Pierre et Lumière (Stone and Light), chateau of Brézé (a castle on another one), la cave aux moines (the cellar to the monks), the Perrières as well as the zoo of Doué la Fontaine.
CHATEAUX OF LOIRE VALLEY:
For 27 of miles around, between Anjou and Touraine, from Angers to Azay-le-Rideau via the castle of Boumois, Saumur, Montsoreau, the fortress of Chinon and more.
Find french history from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance period.
Majestic, the best is to discover the Loire by navigating from Saumur by boat cruise or from Candes St-Martin by traditional toue (flat boat used to cross the Loire or to fish).
Tank Museum: unique collection in Europe, about 250 exposed vehicles and numerous animations all year round.
Engine Museum: collection of combustion engines of every types.
FONTEVRAUD ABBEY:
It is an imperative place to visit, plan a big half-day.
Established at the beginning of the 12th century, it is the vastest monastic city of Europe. Necropolis of the Plantagenêts dynasty, it shelters the recumbent effigies of Alienor d’ Aquitaine and Richard Coeur de Lion. Then it was used as a prison during Napoléon time, and closed in 1963. The Abbey was reopened to the public in 1985.
After all these visits, relax you by discovering the vineyard by feet from “THE COTTAGE”.
You will easily find to ride or to take off in hot-air balloons but also discover the famous route of the LOIRE by bicycle.
Enjoy yourself in the numerous amusement parks of the region or simply by going to the wonderful zoo of Doué la Fontaine.
THE COTTAGE provides you with a complete documentation updated; do not hesitate to ask more advices.
The tourist office of Saumur can also inform you and it assures the service of ticket office for numerous sites.
In family or with friends, enjoy a full day in an amusement park. The youngest and the oldest, all family will have fun.
Futuroscope is a multimedia theme park with different kinds of attractions & shows, Raving like the “Time Machine”, Thrills like “Dance with Robots”, Spectacular with “The Little Prince”…
Puy du Fou is an historic theme park with shows like the “Triumph’s Sign”, “The Viking”, “The Phantom Birds’ Dance”… and with villages as “The Market Town in 1900”, “The Fort de l’An Mil”, “The Medieval City”…
