Attraction · Saumur · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Saumur Castle

Saumur Castle is an attraction in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire. This place has an audio tour of about 2 minutes, in English or Dutch. Within 140 m you'll find a public toilet, a bench and a water point.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

Wikipedia ↗Official website ↗

Audio tour · Saumur Castle

2:27

You're standing at the Château de Saumur. Take a moment to look up. The castle sits high on a hill above the town, right where the river Thouet flows into the Loire. That's why it shapes so much of the view of Saumur. The spot wasn't chosen by chance. In the tenth century Theobald I, Count of Blois, built a fortified stronghold here to hold off Norman raids.

Read and hear the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Opening hours: Tu-Su 10:00-13:00, 14:00-17:30
Wheelchair: Accessible
Visitors: 106,406 a year (2019)

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

1 / 10

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Morrisjm assumed (based on copyright claims). · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Saumur Castle: a castle on a hill

Saumur Castle sits on a hill above the town, right where the Thouet river flows into the Loire. It is an attraction in Saumur, and inside you will find museums of decorative art and horses, plus a collection of old toys. In 2019, 106,406 people visited the site. The building is officially a protected monument. Saumur Castle lies in the town of Saumur in the Maine-et-Loire department, postcode 49400.

Points of interest at Saumur Castle

The castle stands on a hill above the town, just where the Thouet flows into the Loire, and its octagonal towers rise above the rooftops. Inside the walls, a courtyard was once enclosed by 4 wings. You will also find a keep and a watchtower here. Within the castle you can walk through several museums. The museum of decorative arts displays art objects, and the horse museum tells you about horses. There is also a collection of very old toys, including clowns and small figures of kings and soldiers.

Saumur Castle's history

The castle sits on a hill above the town, where the Thouet flows into the Loire, and its history is a long run of rulers coming and going. Theobald I of Blois built a fortress here in the tenth century to guard against raids. In 1026 it passed to Fulco Nerra, and after it was destroyed in 1067, the English king had it rebuilt. In 1203 a king captured the castle. It was then turned into a royal residence, and René of Anjou lived there until his death in 1480. In the 1360s, the round towers were replaced with octagonal ones, and those still stand today. In 1589 a king turned the castle into a stronghold. Later it served as a barracks and a state prison. The town bought the castle in 1906 and began restoring it. On 22 April 2001, part of the northern rampart collapsed, but it had been rebuilt by 2007.

Opening hours and accessibility at Saumur Castle

You can find the latest opening hours for Château de Saumur on the official website, chateau-saumur.fr. The castle is open from Tuesday to Sunday. Visiting hours are 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:30. The site is accessible for wheelchair users. You can buy tickets here to go inside. For more details about your visit, please use the website.

Toilets, drinking water and benches near Saumur Castle

The nearest public toilet to Saumur Castle is 20 metres away, close to the Parc naturel régional Loire-Anjou-Touraine. There are 8 public toilets within 500 metres. Benches are also plentiful around the castle. The closest one is 51 metres away, again near the Parc naturel régional Loire-Anjou-Touraine, and there are 50 benches within a 500-metre radius. For drinking water, head to the Rue des Remparts. This tap is 141 metres away and is suitable for filling a bottle. There are 3 drinking water points within 500 metres of Saumur Castle.

Walks and more to see nearby

The Musée du Moteur is 1,399 metres from the castle, making it an interesting place to visit during your walk through Saumur. While you are at Saumur Castle, you can listen to an audio story about the Château de Saumur in the Outdoor Pitstop app. The story lasts 2 minutes and tells you more about this location. You can play the audio clip straight away while you stand at the castle.