A
fairy-tale fortress if
there ever was one, Château Saumur incorporates all
of the best qualities of other castles in the region.
It features tall towers and ramparts, it is perched
upon a hill looming over the town below, and its sheer
size makes it a landmark that cannot be ignored. The
château started as a fortress in the 11th century.
It was destroyed in 1067, then rebuilt by the Plantagenents
in the 1300's. Later it would become a bastion of
the Huguenots, a military barracks, a prison, and
finally a museum.
