Medieval Saumur
The town of Saumur developed at the foot of the Château de Saumur, the fortress of the Dukes of Anjou. The streets of this picturesque town are lined with magnificent medieval half-timbered houses and elegant French Renaissance buildings.
The 12th-century Church of Saint-Pierre and its square form the medieval heart of the town. The church’s facade, damaged by lightning in the 17th century, was rebuilt in the opulent style of the Jesuits or the Counter-Reformation.
The vaulted nave is a perfect illustration of the Angevin or Plantagenet Gothic style. It also boasts superb 15th-century carved choir stalls and 16th-century tapestries illustrating the legend of Saint-Florent and the life of Saint-Pierre.
Not far from there, the Maison des Compagnons, a former apprenticeship house for craftsmen, served as the setting for Balzac‘s novel, “Eugénie Grandet“. This popular work is a realistic representation of provincial social life in the 19th century.
Hôtel de Ville de Saumur
The town hall is an iconic landmark of the city, not only for its administrative role, but also and especially for its architecture. The building once served as a bridgehead for the ramparts, and the Loire River flowed at its base. The austere, military-style façade facing the river contrasts sharply with the rear façade. The latter is a spectacular fusion of Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and boasts a wealth of exceptional, finely crafted stonework.
Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers Church
The imposing Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers church, built in 1614, is another fine example of Counter-Reformation architecture.
It became an important pilgrimage site in the early 17th century when a farmer discovered a Pietà statue while working his field.
Designated as a royal chapel and oratory, Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers became the official seat of the Catholic Theological College.
It is located in the Fenet district, which was once renowned for its artisanal workshops producing rosaries and religious medals, a cottage industry that gradually died out in the early 20th century.
Notre-Dame-de-Nantilly Church
The Church of Notre-Dame de Nantilly dates from the 12th century and is the oldest in Saumur. It is renowned for its vast vaulted Romanesque nave and houses a remarkable collection of 16th- and 17th-century tapestries and furniture. King Louis XI commissioned the construction of the right wing in the 15th century. King René, Duke of Anjou, immortalised his wet nurse, Tiphaine, by having an epitaph engraved on one of the pillars to mark her tomb. Notre-Dame de Nantilly is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was restored in 1850.
Saumur, a major Protestant stronghold
In the 16th century, Saumur established itself as a Protestant stronghold, and strong ramparts were built to defend the Château de Saumur.
Philippe Duplessis-Mornay, governor of the city and advisor to King Henry IV, and known as the “Pope of the Protestants,” founded a Protestant academy in 1599.
This institution, intended to train future priests, quickly became successful and attracted students not only from France but also from all over Europe.
The academy’s success triggered the growth and development. New neighbourhoods, connected by converging streets, indeed began to expand beyond the city limits.
However, after the assassination of Henry IV in 1610, the rise of the new faith faced a significant challenge: Louis XIII, son of Henry IV and the devout Catholic Marie de Medici, was increasingly concerned about the rapid spread of Protestantism.
He thus ordered the destruction of the city walls in 1623 and actively encouraged the establishment of seven Catholic religious communities in Saumur.
Louis XIV intensified anti-Protestant measures by ordering the closure of the Protestant Academy and its temple in 1685.
He also revoked the Edict of Nantes, which had guaranteed Protestants’ freedom of worship.
As a result, many French Huguenots seeked refuge in England, Switzerland, or Germany.
The buildings of the former Protestant Academy served as a prison in 1804, then as a garrison, and finally as an ammunition depot.
Saumur, a renowned military town
The Royal Carabiniers Regiment was established in Saumur in 1763. The garrison buildings were constructed three years later. Today, they house the Ecole d’Application de l’Armée Blindée et de Cavalerie (Armoured Cavalry Training School).
A second museum, the Musée des Blindés (Tank Museum), displays equipment from twelve different countries. It was expanded into the former premises of the Seita tobacco factory.
Saumur is also associated with the Cadre Noir, a school founded in 1770 by the Count of Choiseul. It trains the country’s finest riders and takes its name from the black uniforms of its instructors.
In 1940, the 1,200 Cadets du Régiment de Cavalerie de Saumur (Saumur Cavalry Regiment) tragically became war heroes when they sacrificed themselves to prevent German troops from advancing from Gennes and Montsoreau. In homage to their bravery, the Pont Napoléon (Bridge) was renamed the Pont des Cadets.
The Cadre Noir is now under the auspices of the Ecole Nationale d’Equitation (National Riding School). It has been located in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent (west of Saumur) since 1970. The riders demonstrate their skill during the Carrousel, an annual show held on the last weekend of July. Organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, this event aims to promote French equestrian sports. The riding arena can accommodate 1,200 seated spectators.
The Musée de l’Ecole de Cavalerie (Cavalry School Museum), founded in 1936, traces the history of the school and the French cavalry since 1870.
Western outskirts of Saumur
Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent is a district located west of Saumur. It is home to many Saumur wine cellars as well as the Musée du Champignon (Mushroom Museum), established in a former limestone quarry. The low humidity and constant temperatures (11 to 14°C) of the underground galleries create ideal conditions for mushroom cultivation. The local industry was developed at the beginning of the 19th century and has continued to thrive ever since. There are over 1,000 km of underground galleries. The 200,000 tons of button mushrooms (Psalliota hortensis) produced in the Saumur region represent 65% of national production.
Department of Maine-et-Loire
Coordinates: Lat 47.260135 – Long -0.080893
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Hôtel de Ville by Marc Ryckaert CC BY-SA 4.0 – Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers pieta by Regard-et-regain Public Domain – Protestant Temple by David Berardan CC BY-SA 3.0
