Montsoreau

Montsoreau is a village in the Loire Valley, in Pays de la Loire. It's listed amongst the most beautiful villages of France.

Understand

View of the Loire river from the Château de Montsoreau

Montsoreau and its Castle

Street

Considered the Saint-Tropez of the Loire Valley, due to its proximity with the river, this place is built all along the Loire and features the Château of Montsoreau, the only Loire Valley castle built in the riverbed, and one of the earliest Renaissance buildings in France. Artists and writers, from Rabelais and Turner to Alexandre Dumas and Rodin, contributed to the village's fame.

Get in

By plane

Montsoreau is surrounded by five airports, Nantes, Angers, Tours, Poitiers, Rennes and Paris Charles de Gaulle less than two hours. The closest international airports are Tours-Val de Loire Airport (70 km) and Nantes-Atlantique Airport (159 km). The national connections can be made by the airports of Angers-Loire (59 km), Poitiers-Biard (80 km). Loire shuttles connect Saumur to Montsoreau. These airports allow it to easily connect international destinations. The connections between the airports and the village can be made by TGV, TER trains, or car.

• 1 Nantes airport. 
• 2 Saumur St-Hilaire-Saint-Florent airport. 
• 3 Tours airport. 
• 4 Angers - Marcé airport (25 minutes de Saumur).  
• 5 Rennes airport.  

By train

Saumur and Port-Boulet are the two train stations next to Montsoreau.

• From Saumur:
  • TGV - TER. 
  • 6 Saumur train station, Avenue David d'Angers.  
• From Port-Boulet:
  • 7 Port-Boulet train station, Place de la gare.  
  • 8 Tours train station, 1 place du Général-Leclerc.  
  • 9 Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train station, 67 rue Fabienne Landy, 37700 Saint-Pierre-des-Corps.  

A system of regular shuttles by train connects the train stations of Tours and Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (price of a bus ticket).

By bus

The Saumur-Val de Loire agglomeration Bus network connects Montsoreau to Fontevraud, Turquant, Parnay, Souzay-Champigny, and Saumur.

By car

Montsoreau is best accessed by the D952 road, along the banks of the Loire. From Paris, Bordeaux or Nantes, take Highway A10.

By boat

• 10 Croisières Saumur Loire, 5 rue Bonnemère 49400 Saumur, contact@croisieressaumurloire.fr. 

By bicycle

Montsoreau is a privileged route of Loire à Vélo, accessible from most major cities and SNCF railway stations by bike.

Get around

Montsoreau is a fairly small town, so it could be easily explored on foot.

See

• 1 Château de Montsoreau-Musée d'art contemporain, Château de Montsoreau, ☏ +33 2 41 67 12 60, contact@chateau-montsoreau.com. UNESCO World Heritage Site Housed in the first castle of the Loire to have been built, this museum contains the world's largest collection of Art & Language works, assembled by Philippe Méaille during the last 25 years. Art & Language is a British art movement that has invented and deeply influenced conceptual art and music. The museum includes most famous works of Art & Language, including their renowned Mirror piece, and hosts at least two temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists a year, and many conferences. Photography is permitted. Backpacks are not permitted, but there are free lockers after entrance.  

Windmill of la tranchée

• 2 Moulin de la tranchée. Historical monument  
• 3 Dolmen de la Pierrelée. Historical monument  
• 4 Église Saint-Pierre.  

Do

Sport

• 1 Boule de fort. (updated Jun 2018)
• 2 Saumur Bowling. (updated Jun 2018)
• 3 Tennis courts. (updated Jun 2018)
• 4 Spa La marine de Loire. 

Beaches

• 5 Confluence Beach. Swimming is allowed. Place very busy in summer, it is advisable to arrive early. (updated Feb 2018)
• 6 Water skiing. Authorized practice on the Loire (updated Jun 2018)
• 7 Canoeing, ☏ +33 2 41 51 17 65. Departure from Montsoreau (updated Feb 2018)
• 8 Canoeing, ☏ +33 6 23 82 96 33. Departure from Chinon (updated Feb 2018)
• 9 Fishing, ☏ +33 2 41 51 70 22. Day cards or holiday cards available. (updated Feb 2018)

Eat

Jean 2

• 1 Jean 2, Château de Montsoreau, ☏ +33 2 41 67 12 60, jean2.chateaudemontsoreau@gmail.com. Serves slates of delicatessen and local cheeses. Specialty: natural wines and home-made hamburger with french fries. 
• 2 Restaurant du Saut aux Loups. 
• 3 Le pt'it bar, 3 Place du mail. 
• 4 Le lion d'or, 1 Place du mail. 
• 5 Créperie la fleur de sel, 4, quai Philippe de Commines. 
• 6 Créperie la dentellière, 15, quai Philippe de Commines. 
• 7 Le mail, 13, place du mail. 
• 8 Bateau l'Amarante, Quai Philippe de Commines. 
• Le Montsorelli, 5, rue Jehanne d'Arc. 
• 9 Péniche l'Aigue Marine, Quai Alexandre Dumas. 
• 10 Restaurant Diane de Méridor, 12, quai Philippe de Commines. 
• 11 Indian restaurant Le 2, 2, place du mail. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Camping Isle verte. (updated Jun 2018)

Mid-range

• 2 Hôtel Le Bussy. (updated Jun 2018)

Splurge

• 3 Hôtel & Spa La Marine de Loire. (updated Jun 2018)