The best traffic-free bike rides around Souzay-Champigny

The sights are good but the terrain is not especially after high winds and heavy rain. Some people might find it tricky to navigate.

The fortified building, built in the 16th century on the banks of the Loire, probably on the foundations of a pre-existing structure, was an integral part of the city's fortifications. This building has served as the city's administrative building since 1508, when Guillaume Bourneau, Sieur de Montaglan, Lieutenant General in Saumur, took office. Between 1856 and 1862, the building was expanded with a wing in the Neo-Gothic style, fashionable in the 19th century, designed by the architect Charles Joly-Leterme.

The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the largest monastic communities in Europe dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a place with a rich history, located in the heart of the Loire Valley and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The abbey is a unique cultural site! An abbey with a royal destination, a formidable prison is today a place of creation (museum of modern art).

On this bridge over the La Vienne you have a nice view of the skyline of Candes-Saint-Martin. This cozy village is located near the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire.

Fontevraud-l'Abbaye is located in the natural region of the Loire Valley, listed as a "living cultural landscape" by UNESCO. As its name suggests, the history and present of the municipality are closely linked to the Abbey of Notre-Dame, founded in 1099. The abbey presents the originality of being part of a mixed order, but led by abbesses until the Revolution. was the necropolis of the Plantagenet dynasty. The recumbent figures of Richard the Lionheart, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine are still preserved there. The vast abbey complex was transformed by Napoleon I into a penal colony and then into a "central house". This extraordinary prison closed its doors in 1963. While the abbey church and the various monastic sites were rehabilitated, the entire old abbey has since housed a prestigious cultural centre with, among other things, a renowned art museum, welcoming meetings and artists in residence. Art, history and heritage are highlighted throughout the year.

The first stone was laid on 20 June 1864. As an architect with eclectic tastes, Joly-Leterme was inspired by the style of the Louis XVI period, which was contemporary with the hall he replaced. He borrowed in particular from the neoclassical colonnades of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux and the Madeleine in Paris. On the left, the colonnade overlooking the Loire has a rather successful disappearing effect; the monument is not rectangular, but narrows towards the east. The hall opens onto the Place de la Bilange, which it dominates with its monumental proportions. The eastern façade, dedicated to the musicians and the entrance for the artists, has a more intimate appearance. It is narrower, with five instead of seven arches. This façade has often changed in appearance. The hall is in the "Italian style", a type of hall that was fashionable during the Second Empire. Large reception areas are planned: a grand staircase overlooking the Place de la Bilange, a spacious foyer on the first floor, a wide peristyle accessible to all, and galleries on the upper floor providing access to numerous rooms. In the middle, the concert hall is reduced to a small, high space. The stage, of good dimensions, has been rebuilt several times. The red-gold tones of the hall, restored in 1963, have come to life. Source: https://www.ville-saumur.fr/patrimoine-architectural/le-theatre-2

The Place Saint-Pierre in Saumur has traditionally been a haven for bistros. This is where social life meets. Sit down and enjoy the bustling life.

Behind the classical 17th-century facade lies a magnificent building that combines both Romanesque and Plantagenet Gothic styles. Saint Peter's Church is a representative example of Plantagenet Gothic (12th-13th centuries), particularly due to its strongly curved vaults. Among the furnishings is a remarkable set of 15th-century choir stalls. (Organ concerts are regularly held here). Restoration of the west facade began in November 2008. A team of stonemasons consolidated and restored this classical facade in a "composite" style. This facade had closed off the nave since the 17th century following the collapse of the first Gothic facade. The building was then completely restored! Source: https://www.ville-saumur.fr/patrimoine-architectural/l-eglise-saint-pierre-2