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Saumur Castle – You might recognize the Chateau
de Saumur from the pictures in the Duc de Berry's Book of Hours.
This is the chateau in the background, with scenes of peasants sowing the
fields, harvesting wheat, gathering grapes, and the nobles picking flowers
and hunting. The Chateau de Saumur sports a dungeon and watchtower, and
houses the Musee de la Figurine-Jouet, a collection of very old toys
and figurines of soldiers, kings of France, clowns. |
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Horse fans – Horses are a big deal in Saumur.
At the edge of town is the National Horse Riding School (l'Ecole Nationale
d'Equitation) where you can take a tour of the school and stables. Calvary
performances by the famous "Cadre Noir" are exciting. |
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 The Musee du Cheval in the Chateau has exhibits of antique equestrian
gear. |
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For
fun, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage along the river. |
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Military museums – Saumur has old ties to the
military, going back to the 18th century, when the calvary school was founded.
The Musee des Blindes is dedicated to the history of tank warfare.
Stop in to the Musee de la Cavalerie to see cavalry battle
scenes and old uniforms. |
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Mask Museum – The city is also famous for its
factory where carnivals masks are made. If anyone in your family likes masks
or fashion, visit the Mask Museum (Musee du Masque), which has waxwork
figures wearing carnival masks and gorgeous costumes. |
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A cool tour is a visit the Musee du Champignon to find out how
mushrooms are grown underground. (Excellent idea on a hot day.) |
