Saumur is a town in the Loire Valley, famous for its royal castle. It is also a famous horse breeding center with a riding school and a Cavalry Museum.
The city was founded in the 10th century and then the first castle was built here. It was demolished a hundred years later, but a new fortress was erected in its place. From the 13th century, the castle in Saumur was in the hands of the French kings. It was expanded successively, until the beginning of the 17th century, when it fell into the hands of the army and was used as barracks and then a prison.
The castle returned to its splendor at the beginning of the 20th century, when the stronghold was reconstructed. Today, in addition to beautiful interiors, you can see the collections of two museums - the Cavalry Museum and the Museum of Decorative Arts.
The Old Town in Saumur is built up mainly with 17th and 18th century tenement houses. In its center is the baroque church of St. Peter. There are many restaurants and bars nearby. The city's attractions are cruises on the Loire, which allow you to admire the panorama of the buildings with the castle tower towering above it.
In addition to the museums at the castle in Saumur, you can also see a collection with a completely different subject. It is home to one of the largest French military museums, the Armored Vehicle Museum. It houses weapons, military vehicles and equipment, mainly from the 20th century. An extraordinary attraction is the private Pierre et Lumière museum located in the caves on the outskirts of the city. It presents models of towns and castles from the Loire Valley.
