Montsoreau
Montsoreau ('most beautiful villages of the Loire') is between Saumur and Chinon in the Maine-et-Loire department.
Tourist Information and places to visit
Montsoreau is a lovely little village not to be missed if you are in this part of the Loire Valley near Saumur. The village is on a quiet stretch of the River Loire near the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers and at the base of a cliff. At this point, the Loire is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is the largest area to be designated a UNESCO site in France.
Park your car in the Place du Mail and walk along the river front towards the château which rises up majestically from the water. Indeed this is the only one of the Loire castles which has its feet in the water.
Make your way up to the higher part of the village which lies along the edge of a main street parallel to the river. The village is charming and it is quieter here away from the road which runs next to the river. You have some superb vies of the château which is now promoted as the 'Château de la Dame de Montsoreau' after the novel by Dumas that revolved around the love life of two ladies who lived in the castle during the reign of Henri III (based on real events), and has recently been renovated and opened to the public. It is unusual in that it includes elements of being a fortified chateau and also elements of being a chateau built as a home.
Next to the castle is the Hotel le Bussy which has a terrace with a superb view of the château overhanging the river. A perfect place to stop for a beer before continuing your walk into the adjoining village of Candes St Martin which like Montsoreau is classed one of the most beautiful villages of France.
You can visit the old troglodyte village, with homes, doors and windows cut into the cliff and which as recently as the end of the 18th century provided homes to most of the villagers. More recently, mushroom growers have taken over some of the larger man-made caves and a restaurant at the site specialises in stuffed mushrooms.
Boat trips in traditional boats and fishing are popular activities in the village, which has most facilities.
See more pictures of Montsoreau
Visit Montsoreau (Pays de la Loire, Maine-et-Loire) travel, gites and hotels
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The Montsoreau hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Montsoreau is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Pays de la Loire gites for Montsoreau holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Pays de la Loire Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: Places to Stay near Montsoreau VisitSee Visit Montsoreau for places to visit near Montsoreau including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Montsoreau in our Pays de la Loire forum Airports near MontsoreauAngers airport at 56 km Poitiers airport at 74 km Tours airport at 77 km Montsoreau property for saleSee Pays de la Loire property for sale
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Tourist Classifications for Montsoreau
- Most beautiful villages in France
Places to visit near Montsoreau, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Montsoreau.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
10 km: Candes-Saint-Martin (Most beautiful village) 21 km: Chateau Chinon (castle) 16 km: Chateau de Saumur (castle) 20 km: Chinon (Town of art and history) 4 km: Fontevraud Abbey (Renowned abbey) 16 km: Saumur (Loire valley town)
See also Montsoreau (version Francais)
