Travel Guide to the Historic Town of Saumur, France
Recently, I boarded a flight with my man to Paris, France! Our final destination was a family wedding later that week in Vernantes at a Chateau De Jalesnes. Before that, we spent 4.5 days in Saumur, France. The French town is located about 3 hours southwest of Paris.
When we landed in Paris, I had a gut check, should we have explored here more? But after we pulled into Saumur, my eyes filled up with tears at how beautiful it was. I knew we made the right decision. The town is filled everything you need, very walkable, and full of castles, wineries, boutiques, and centuries of history to explore.
Dive into our travel guide to Saumur, France…
Where to Stay in Saumur
Hotel Anne d’Anjou is situated in the heart of the city with a clear view of the Loire River. In fact, just a road and a river bank separate you from France’s longest river know for its rich winemaking history. The gorgeous hotel is listed as a historic monument. It was built in 1774 by the Levesque-Desvarannes family.
The hotel is stunning and many rooms have a view of either the Loire River or Chateau de Saumur. Wrapped around a central courtyard, the hotel also has a pool, spa, jacuzzi, and bar. We opted to include breakfast everyday with our reservation. We were not disappointed. The gourmet spread featured several pastries, eggs, bread (even gluten-free bread!), jams, dried fruits, Nutella, and so much more. It was the perfect way to fuel up for exploring the town’s shops, wine caves, restaurants, and historic churches.
The hotel was also incredibly affordable–our final bill for four nights, drinks on our room, and our breakfast was $511.
Wine Caves and Wineries in the Loire Valley
The area around Saumur is the third largest sparkling wine region in France after the Champagne region. Specifically the middle region of the Loire Valley–the Anjou and Touraine regions. All over, there are caves where the wine is stored and the “tiny” or “thin” bubbles are addled using clay, yeast, and sugar. We visited two of these wine caves.
Louis de Grenelle has 3-4 million bottles of wine underground. We were in awe and amazed every sip and step of the way. We started off with a wine tasting and then embarked on a highly educational tour of the underground tunnels that actually track underneath of the town. The oldest bottle of wine (not drinkable) is from 1859 and the company is still family owned. They also have a Chardonnay that honors Coco Chanel, who was born in Saumur.
Maison Ackerman was a completely unexpected experience with a self guided tour that not only featured history dating back to 1811, but there is an underground art museum full of overwhelmingly beautiful pieces that leverage the cave itself, using light, shadows, shapes, and more. In fact, this wine was served at the wedding we were headed to later that week.
There were many other wine caves we could have visited. I really wanted to see the wine growing on vines in France. We headed out to visit Domaine de Rochelle. The tasting room is situated about 15 minutes outside of Saumur atop a hill that comes with epic views of estates and small homes tucked away in the hills below. On the way, we drove through fields of vines. We were the only people there on a Thursday for a tasting.
Every one was so kind and spoke English at all of these special places. What’s even more beautiful is that even in the smallest grocery stores you’ll find local wines for purchase and it’s incredibly affordable.
Getting Around in Saumur
We rented a van to take us from the airport to Saumur. This also helped us get around throughout the week. We also rented bikes from Le Grand Bi for a couple days to see more of the area. We opted for electric bikes, that helped us get around in traffic and also scoot up occassional hills with more ease.
Erik and I biked to Maison Ackerman for wine tasting and cave tours and then followed our noses to a stunning flower garden and Church Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers. We learned it was bombed twice during World War II. The town was at the heart of many conflicts, with the famous wine caves becoming hiding spots for the French before and during German occupation.
We also found ourselves on a rural bike path along the Loire River that felt a lot like a Virginia countryside trail. In fact, I had a lot of moments when France felt like home. We may not have castles, but we have wine, rolling hills, horses, and all sorts of history.
Chateau De Saumur
The jewel of Saumur is of course the castle that sits atop the town with grand design and elegance. Chateau de Saumur could be seen from all over Saumur during our adventures. From our bedroom, to our courtyard, to the riverside bike trails, to the chateau ground itself, it amazed us.
The chateau was home to French dukes and governors before becoming a prison and then the war ministry’s weapons storage location. In the early 1900s, it was transformed into a museum and then bombed in 1940. It’s been restored and you’ll find a stunning view of the Loire River and town of Saumur when you make it there to visit. The sprawling grounds offer up unique views from all angles.
There’s also a bistro style restaurant, Restaurant L’Orangerie which would be the perfect place after a tour of the grounds and museums. You can look down upon the town, the river, and more from outside.
Eating Options in Saumur, France
You’ll find a lot of steak, beef, fish, salads, seafood, dried fruits, and of course French fries, or “frites.” There was rarely a need for salt and pepper on our food–everything was full of flavor. There were also surprisingly plenty of options for the gluten-free, dairy-free, and pescatarian diets in our crew.
Sur le Quais is a boat bar on the Loire River within view of Hotel d’Anjou. We ordered up colorful and flavorful things like pomegranate hummus, potatoes with crème fraîche, and of course, charcuterie. There’s no hot kitchen on board, so this more of a small plates and drinks experience.
Le Piccadilly is located in the heart of one of the main squares of Saumur. The restaurant and bar had everything we all wanted: cold beer, epic burgers, steak, fries, and “grande salads.” We chose to eat outside next to a colorful carousel.
The French Coffee Shop was a regular visit for us, especially after big meals. We ordered up espresso and pretty cappuccinos. There were small ice cream, chocolate and praline shops all over, too. There are too many to list, but we got a lot of sweet treats and you won’t have a hard time finding one when you have a craving.
Of course, Hotel d’Anjou woke us up every morning with an epic breakfast spread. Also on site is L’essential a 3 Michelin star restaurant. We did not dine here, but there was rarely an open seat when it was open. Make reservations ahead of time.
La Bourse is an iconic culinary landmark first opened in 1870. It was across from Le Piccadilly in the heart of town. The restaurant offered elevated seafood, steak, and salads with beautiful presentation. You can dine in outside or inside–both were elegant settings.
We had a big family lunch at Bistro le Ton Tons with a few family members passing through on the way to the wedding venue. They served up beef carpaccio, beef tartare, burgers, fries, and more slam dunks in the center of a smaller square of Saumur.
Bistrot De La Place is where Erik and I headed to have a date night with fresh oysters, a beautiful pork dish, and cocktails. We enjoyed our time people watching and indulging.
I also have to encourage you to pop in to different grocery and convenient stores. We tried so many different flavors of potato chips and other treats. We don’t know what we’re missing here in the US when it comes to snack time.
See More France Travel Inspiration
Of course, I documented my travels over time on Instagram. I have a highlight called “France” you can run through for inspiration and more to save for your trip! Here are a few highlights:
