Discovering Montsoreau, in the department of Maine-et-Loire, in the Pays de la Loire region, means taking flower-lined paths up to the vineyards, strolling through courtyards and alleys with a view of the Loire, and surveying the Saut aux Loups hillside, where you can discover ancient troglodyte dwellings.
Going to Montsoreau, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, is also an opportunity to taste some famous Saumur Champigny and Crémant de Loire wines - in moderation, of course.
For the record, you should know that in the heart of the village, an unusual place perpetuates an ancestral tradition, that of the boule de fort, classified as a Loire heritage game by the Ministry of Culture. In the old covered market of Montsoreau, the players, wearing slippers, are on a kind of curved track. The aim? To roll balls of no less than 13 centimetres in diameter with flattened sides, in order to get them as close as possible to the "master", a smaller ball placed in the centre.
What to do in Montsoreau?
If you are visiting Montsoreau, don't miss the historic castle and the church of Saint-Pierre-de-Rest, take a refreshing stroll through the Maison du Parc Régional Loire-Anjou-Touraine and visit the mushroom farm. Finally, don't miss its wine market!
The castle of Montsoreau, not to be missed
This Gothic and Renaissance style castle is the only one built in the bed of the river Loire. Transformed into a museum of contemporary art in 2016, this historic site offers an artistic journey over more than 2,500 square metres, through its permanent collection, considered to be the most important collection of Conceptual Art in the world.
Built in 1450 by Jean II de Chambes, a close adviser to King Charles VII, the castle's history has been marked by many personalities, including Mary Stuart, Anne of Brittany, Claude de France, Henri IV and François I.
Le Saut Aux Loups mushroom farm
This reconstruction of a mushroom farm from the early 20th century is both a historical and a tourist site: you enter this former quarry of white tufa, a characteristic stone of the area, to discover the different historical and technical phases of mushroom cultivation, whether it be oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms or, of course, the button mushroom.
The House of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park
Accessible free of charge, this cultural centre tells the story of the life of the Loire and its inhabitants (poachers, farmers, etc.) over the centuries, and represents the different facets of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park, which covers 116 municipalities in Maine-et-Loire and Indre-et-Loire. Events and temporary exhibitions are regularly organised around nature and biodiversity.
The Loire wine market in Montsoreau
This is an activity not to be missed bywine tourism enthusiasts! On the hillside at the entrance to Montsoreau, with a breathtaking view of the Château and the Loire, it is in a troglodytic cellar that you will discover the different appellations of the Loire Valley, through a 10-stage wine tour, which will take you from Nantes to Sancerre.
The Saint-Pierre-de-Rest church
Built in the former major bed of the Loire, now filled in, from the 13th to the 18th century, this church was dedicated to Saint Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. The material used for its construction, the local white tufa, is particularly admirable.
What to see in the area around Montsoreau?
And if the village of Montsoreau is worth a visit, its surroundings are not to be outdone!
Candes-Saint-Martin and Crissay-sur-Manse, also labelled Most Beautiful Villages in France
Montsoreau is surrounded by other villages that have the same "Most Beautiful Villages in France" label as it does, the closest of which are Candes-Saint-Martin and Crissay-sur-Manse. While the village of Candes-Saint-Martin has developed as a river port due to its geographical location at the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers, Crissay-sur-Manse is also characterised by its white tufa houses in the heart of the Touraine, in the Manse valley.
The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud
In Fontevraud, one of the largest monastic cities inherited from the Middle Ages, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, don't miss the visit to the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the largest monastic complex in Europe!
Founded in 1101, it owes its fame as an abbey to the Plantagenets and to its close links with Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose tomb lies in the heart of the abbey church, along with those of Henry II Plantagenet and Richard the Lionheart. Later, Napoleon transformed Fontevraud into one of the toughest prisons in France, a role it retained until 1963.
Saumur, an equestrian town par excellence
Known as Saumur la Blanche because of the typical white tufa stone of the region, the town is dominated by the silhouette of its castle, sitting on the left bank of the Loire. Oenology, distillery, soap making and the equestrian world are all part of a successful visit to Saumur!
Chinon
Between Tours and Saumur, Chinon is worth a visit for its 3rd millennium royal fortress, built on a rocky spur, making it a strategic site occupied since Antiquity, but also for its castle and, of course, for its wine specialities.
Find out more about Montsoreau in the official guide Les Plus Beaux Villages de France!
