In the western Loire Valley, Saumur takes medieval majesty to new levels. The fairy-tale Saumur château stands watch over the Old Town, where a tangle of cobblestone lanes and half-timbered buildings tumble down to the vine-fringed riverside of the Loire. Hot air balloon rides, wine-tasting (the Anjou region is world-renowned for its rosé and sparkling wines) and river cruises are the quintessential things to do, but Saumur’s most unique attractions are its troglodyte caves, mushroom cellars, and Cadre Noir equestrian school, the gold-standard of French dressage performances.
April through September is the primary tourism season in Saumur, when the vineyards and caves welcome visitors, and the equestrian competition season gets underway. This festival city always has something going off, from the Festivini wine festival (June-September) to the spectacular Carousel of Saumur (July). Out of season, be sure to check attraction opening times as many have reduced hours, or time your visit for the festive season when Saumur’s troglodyte caves host one of the region’s most magical Christmas markets.
Saumur’s compact center is easy to explore on foot, and it’s mostly flat, aside from the climb up to the hilltop château. To visit the Cadre Noir, caves, and vineyards, bring your car, rent a bike, or hop on the Saumur Agglobus—special tourist buses run between the sights in season, while less frequent buses run year-round. If you don’t fancy walking, there’s also a Little Train that chugs around the city center and the vineyards in season.
Newbies are often disappointed (or relieved!) to find that snails aren’t a staple of most restaurant menus in France—usually, they are only offered as a side dish for tourists. But if you do want to try authentic escargots, Saumur has one of the region’s best restaurants—the aptly named L'Escargot—devoted to the traditional dish, and even the French approve.
