Nestled in the heart of the Loire Valley, Saumur is surrounded by rivers, castles, vineyards and villages.
Explore charming alleyways, visit small churches and enjoy the peace and quiet.
In this article, we share our selection of the most beautiful villages around Saumur to help you plan your stay.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Best villages near Saumur: selection
The Loire Valley abounds in charming villages and small towns full of character. The list can be very long.
We have:
- selected our favorites and best-known
- listed in order of distance from town
- limited to less than 1 hour's drive from the city
To find all our favorite villages around the Loire castles, see this other article.
WHERE TO STAY IN Saumur
Downtown
Enjoy the city, its restaurants and beautiful architecture.
- Hotel Saint Pierre - a historic stay! - see prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Château La Marquise - prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Anne d'Anjou - prices, pictures and availability
In the countryside around
Looking for a bit of peace and quiet, without straying too far from the city of Angers? Here's our suggestion:
- Hotel Demeure de la Vignole - prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Joly Foudres - unusual in barrels - prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel de l'abbaye de Fontevraud - prices, pictures and availability
1. Candes-Saint-Martin and Montsoreau (20 min)
Why do we love it?
Candes-Saint-Martin offers yet another very different experience.
It is also sometimes listed as Montsoreau.
The 2 villages are actually right next to each other: the charming village is Candes, but the famous château on the banks of the Loire is in Montsoreau.
The village lies at the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers, a strategic location that has enabled it to develop as a river port.
Here, we love the many tufa stone houses, typical of the region, and we're sure you'll be surprised by the church facade!
Access to the village from Saumur
- Between Angers and Tours, along the Loire River
- Driving time from Saumur = 20 min
Practical information
- Allow 1.5 hours to explore the entire village and the road to the panorama. Add 1h30 to visit Château de Montsoreau
- Wear good shoes for cobbled and sloping streets
- Parking lots at the ends of the village. Very few places in the village
- Some restaurants / cafés
- This village has been awarded the label "Les plus beaux villages de France".
- View the best rated accommodations around Candes-Saint-Martin
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
2. Rochemenier: Troglodyte village (25 min)
Why do we love it?
The Village of Rochemenier is an open-air museum.
We really enjoyed wandering from cave to cave, troglodyte house to troglodyte house, discovering how people lived there and learning more about certain techniques.
It's a fun place for adults and children alike.
Access from Saumur
- South-west of Saumur
- 25 min drive
Practical information
- Allow 1 to 2 hours for all explanations, depending on your level of interest.
- Admission €8.50
- Closed in December and January
- Open at least from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but closed on Mondays
- Official website here.
Alternatives
- Les Maisons Troglodytes des Forges - official website here
- Turquant, wall with house entrances in the village
Find out more about Les Troglodytes de Saumur.
3. Crissay-sur-Manse (55 min)
Why do we love it?
For its calm. Manu had a profound moment of serenity in this village...
It's not big, but it's absolutely charming.
Here you'll find beautiful tufa stone houses, a flamboyant Gothic church, a washhouse and the ruins of a 15th-century castle that was badly damaged during the Hundred Years' War.
Here, the countryside invites itself into the center: almost everywhere you turn, you catch a glimpse of fields and nature.
Access to the village from Saumur
- In the south, between Saumur and Tours
- Driving time from Saumur = 55 min
Practical information
- Allow 1 hour to explore the entire village
- Wear good shoes for the cobbled streets
- A little slope
- Easy parking around the church
- A few restaurants / cafés - we had lunch on the terrace at the Auberge de Crissay overlooking the countryside and the church. Good products and a great time.
- This village has been awarded the label "Les plus beaux villages de France".
- Combine with Chinon and Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
- View the best rated accommodations around Crissay-sur-Manse
A LITTLE MORE patience
All the photos, maps, information, good addresses to make your stay in the Loire Valley a success, will soon be gathered in a single ebook!
If you wish to be informed of the publication of our guide on the Loire, register:
4. Béhuard (1h)
Why do we love it?
Béhuard is a very well hidden village. It's well known to locals, but much less so to visitors to the region.
It is unique in that it is situated on a small island between 2 arms of the Loire. So don't miss the entrance from the bridges!
We love strolling along its main street, with its pretty houses along the water.
And don't miss the village church. It stands on a rock, just a little higher than the rest of the village.
Access to the village from Saumur
- Between Angers and Nantes, along the Loire River
- Driving time from Saumur = 1h
Practical information
- Allow 30min to explore the whole village
- Flat tour
- Ample parking at the entrance to the village.
- Warning: in the event of flooding of the Loire, the village will not be accessible.
- A crêperie / bar
- This village has been awarded the "Petite cité de caractère" label.
- View the best rated accommodations around Béhuard
5. Savennières (1h)
Why do we love it?
Right next to the Loire, this site has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
The village developed in Gallo-Roman times.
But what really sets Savennières apart are the superb manor houses and presbytery, built by the aristocracy of Anjou in the 18th century.
Don't miss the church, considered one of the oldest in the region.
And another (very) good reason to visit Savennières is the surrounding vineyards.
Access to the village from Saumur
- South-west of Angers
- Driving time from Saumur = 1h
Practical information
- Allow 30min to 1h to explore the village center, more to enjoy the surrounding vineyards.
- Easy to explore
- Parking at Place du Mail or near the railway tracks
- Some restaurants / cafés
- This village has been awarded the "Petite cité de caractère" label.
- View the best rated accommodations around Savennières
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Other villages and towns near Saumur
Le Thoureil
30 minutes away, along the Loire
With its history of inland navigation, you'll find several traditional boats at the foot of the houses.
Baugé-en-Anjou
35 min drive from Saumur.
This small town boasts several surprising historic buildings, including its castle.
DISCOVER Saumur
- Best things to do in Saumur
- Where to sleep in Saumur: best hotels
- Where to eat in Saumur: best restaurants
- Visit the Château de Saumur
- Visit Fontevraud Abbey
- The most beautiful castles around Saumur
- Saumur's troglodytes
- itineraries: weekend
Le Puy-Notre-Dame
25 min drive from Saumur.
Small medieval town with beautiful narrow streets and tufa stone buildings.
Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault
20 min from Saumur
Situated on the banks of the Loire, with Tufeau stone buildings, it's a group of 3 villages surrounded by hiking trails.
More ideas in the Loire Valley:
- Best villages near Angers - see list
- Most beautiful villages around Tours - see list
- Most beautiful villages around Blois - see list
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
Other places to explore
Practice
