The best MTB trails around Montsoreau

For those who want to discover some art objects.

The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monastic communities in Europe dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a place with a rich history, located in the heart of the Loire Valley and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The abbey is a unique cultural site! An abbey with a royal destination, a formidable prison is today a place of creation (museum of modern art).

History in brief Antiquity: the site is strategically located on a promontory and has been inhabited for 3,000 years. It was not fortified until the end of the Roman Empire. Middle Ages: in 1154, the new King of England, Henry II Plantagenet, became ruler of an empire stretching from Scotland to the Pyrenees and made Chinon his continental capital. He had a large palace built next to the fortress, which has now disappeared. In 1189, abandoned by his sons, Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland, and fleeing from the King of France, he eventually died there. Philippe Auguste had the defensive Tour du Coudray built there after the siege of 1205. Renaissance: in 1454, the fortress became the main residence of Queen Marie d'Anjou, who lived there without her husband. She spent lavishly on decorating the house to her taste. From the 16th century onwards, the fortress was gradually abandoned and fell into disrepair. Despite the dangerous nature of the terrain, it became a public promenade in 1824 and was listed as a monument in 1840. The restoration of the estate began in 1854 thanks to the efforts of the writer Prosper Mérimée. Source: https://loirelovers.fr/en/visit-royal-fort-chinon/

Between the Loire and the hills, Turquant welcomes, in season, craftsmen and a Métiers d'Art boutique in a remarkably restored troglodyte site. Several designers open their workshops to the public and passionately share their expertise. Today, you can wander around the troglodytes between tradition and modernity to discover all their originality.

Between Montsoreau and Saumur, the tuffeau rock dominates the Loire and is cut from one end to the other by a series of caves, sometimes troglodyte dwellings, sometimes quarries... Villages spring up in the valleys that crisscross the hills, while vineyards and mills mark the ridge. In Turquant, more than anywhere else, you can discover this Loire landscape, so characteristic of the Côte Saumuroise. Today, between tradition and modernity, the troglodytes can be discovered in all their originality, particularly in the Village des Métiers d'Art.

Perfect stop for 'Eat - Shop & Go'

The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monastic communities in Europe dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a place steeped in history, located in the heart of the Loire Valley and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Let yourself be carried away by the magic of this ancient site and discover the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, an architectural and historical jewel that will fascinate young and old alike. Thanks to captivating exhibitions, fascinating guided tours and a rich cultural programme, you will immerse yourself in the unique world of this abbey, founded in the 11th century and once a necropolis of the Plantagenets. Every stone, every vault, every corner tells a story... But Fontevraud is much more than a historical site... Broaden your discovery with a visit to the Fontevraud Museum of Modern Art, which houses more than 800 works donated by Martine and Léon Cligman. A prestigious collection that combines ancient and modern art, for an artistic immersion through the ages. Triggered? Find out more at https://www.ot-saumur.fr/en/abbeys-and-religious-heritage/royal-abbey-of-fontevraud-5344942/

The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monastic communities in Europe dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a place with a rich history, located in the heart of the Loire Valley and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.