Visit Saumur Castle: tickets, prices, schedules

A good one in the past to discover the history of France, is it tempting you? Direction le Val de Loire, to visit the Château de Saumur !

Great lovers of the Loire Valley, the kings of France left an incredible legacy: the Châteaux de la Loire. Among them, the Château de Saumur. Overlooking the city and the Loire from its rocky piton, Saumur Castle is a real historical gem, to be discovered without hesitation.

Are you interested in a ticket to Saumur Castle? Tips, rates, schedules... You will find in this article all the information necessary for the proper conduct of your visit.

History of Saumur Castle

Built in 962, Saumur Castle is first of all a fortified fortress. In 1068, while Saumur belongs to the English, King Henry II decided, following a fire, to rebuild the castle. In the 13th century, while Saumur was once again French, King Louis IX, responsible for the rebirth of the castle, added defensive walls, and four round towers all around. He then becomes the home of Dukes of Anjou during the 14th and 15th centuries, during which the castle is transformed into a luxury residence.

Over time, the castle of Saumur became a barracks of the army, serving as a prison under the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, and a deposit of arms in the nineteenth century. It was in 1906 that he was bought by the City to house the municipal museum, which then became the Musée de France.

Enjoy a ticket to Saumur Castle, and learn more about the history of this emblematic fortress!

Our tips to visit Saumur Castle

The best time to visit the Château de Saumur

Like most museums or cultural activities in general, if you want to visit the Château de Saumur, the ideal to avoid the world is to make the visit Weekly .

The ideal programme:

• If you wish to visit the Château de Saumur between June and September, go in the morning, to cross a little less world than in the afternoon.
• Then close your visit by a picnic in the castle gardens.
• Also note that during the summer period, the Château de Saumur offers outdoor cinema sessions, horse shows or theatre performances.

The duration of a visit

You can plan half day to visit the Château de Saumur.

Visit the Castle of Saumur with children

The museum is available at the reception, a booklet game Inquire at the Château de Saumur! , thanks to which children, from 7 to 12 years old, will be able to discover the Castle while having fun. In addition, thematic and fun tours are organized during the school holidays. Learn about the official website of the Château de Saumur.

What to do during your visit to the Château de Saumur?

Visiting the Château de Saumur is going through centuries of history, through the various pieces and works that are there. Your ticket to Saumur Castle in your pocket, you are ready for the visit.

The Court of Honour

Everything begins in the main courtyard, from which you can see the well that has supplied the castle with water for nearly 600 years. Admire the immense staircase of honor, with its fabulous carved decorations, and finally the Hall of Baille, or justice was once rendered.

The collection Decorative arts

Direction the first floor of the castle to discover the fabulous section on the Decorative arts . You will be amazed by the beauty of furniture, tapestries or ceramics, one of the most beautiful collections in France, from the 14th to the 18th century.

The collection Horse

If you are going to visit the Castle of Saumur, go to the building l’Abbatiale , which has several exhibition rooms on the horse world.

This part of the castle was the abbey church of the monastery of Saint-Florent, founded in the 10th century. Today, you will find an exciting part on the history of the harnachement where are exposed saddles, bits and stirrers, from Antiquity to the twentieth century.

Outdoor areas

You can discover the exterior spaces of the castle, during a free guided tour of 30 minutes , included in your ticket to the Château de Saumur. Let yourself be aware of the history of this monument and of the many architectural restorations it has been subjected to.

The viewer

You'll have to. pay a small supplement to access the Belvedere, which visits only with a guide. During 30 minutes , you will cross rooms open to the public for only a few years and walk along long corridors full of history. Finally, you will reach the highest point of the visit: the incredible panorama of the city of Saumur and the Loire.

How much does a ticket cost to Saumur Castle?

Want to visit the Castle of Saumur? Here are the prices offered on the official site of the castle:

• Full rate: 8€
• Reduced rate (7-16 years old, high school students, apprentices, students, job seekers, disability card holders and assistants, holders of the King René Network pamphlet bearing the cachet of one of the partner sites): 6€
• Family rate (2 adults and 2 children): 24€ (+ 1.50€ per additional child)
• Adult group (from 12 persons): 6€
• Find Small Group Rate (from 12 people 7-16 years old, high school students, students, job seekers, disability card holders): 5€
• Children under 7 years of age: free
• For the viewer: 3€ in addition to the entrance fee

How to book an online ticket for Château de Saumur?

It is possible to buy a ticket for the Château de Saumur:

• On the site of thetourist office of Saumur
• You can also choose to go through one reservation platform specialized in tours and activities.

Are there guided tours of Saumur Castle?

Your ticket to the Château de Saumur includes a historical presentation with a guide, lasting 30 minutes . Departure is scheduled every 45 minutes . Then you can visit freely.

In order to visit the Château de Saumur in a complete way, you can also choose to go through a reservation platform specializing in tours and activities, which offers guided tours of the castle.

Are there visits combined with other monuments in the region?

If you wish, you can buy the card Muséo Pass . This gives you unlimited access and discounts at 6 sites in the region:

• Distillerie Combier
• Château de Saumur
• Cavalry Museum
• Cruise on the Loire
• Engine Museum
• Armoured Museum

The map also allows you to have reduced rates for those who accompany you, and discounts at the castle shop, as well as the Saumur Tourist Office. Its cost is 10 € per year.

You can find this map :

• At the ticket office Château-Musée from March 31 to November 11
• At the reception desk Town hall of Saumur
• By mail (see all necessary information on the official website of the Saumur Castle)

Opening hours Château de Saumur

The schedules to visit the Château de Saumur vary according to the periods of the year:

• Closure from January 1, 2020 to February 7, 2020
• 08/02 to 31/03: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5:30pm. Exceptional closure on Sunday 29 March
• 01/04 to 30/06: Tuesday to Sunday and Monday holidays from 10am to 6pm
• 01/07 to 31/08: daily from 10am to 7pm
• 01/09 to 30/09: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm
• 01/10 to 31/12: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5:30pm
• The Belvedere: from 1 June to 30 June and from 1 September to 30 September, from Tuesday to Sunday (except heritage weekends, 19 – 20 September and Sunday of harvests 27 September), and from 1 July to 31 August, 7 days a week

How to access the Château de Saumur?

To reach the Château de Saumur, head to the following address: Château de Saumur, 49400 Saumur.

• Car: Depending on your destination, follow the A10, A85 or E60 motorway, or D347 and D947 roads. Take the exit Ville de Saumur and follow the signs « Château de Saumur ».
• Train: If you want to come by train, you will have to count 20 minutes from Angers, 40min from Tours, and 1h from Nantes. Saumur TER Station is 2km from the castle.
• Bus: From the TER Station, take the bus 30 towards Centre-Ville / Porte Louis to the terminus. From there you will take bus 33 towards Fricotelle and you will go down to the Château stop.

Where to park near Saumur Castle?

Are you vehiculated? One. free parking for cars, coaches and motorhomes is available in front of the museum, as well as a bicycle parking.

Where to stay near the Château de Saumur?

Saumur is a city with lots of charm where it is very pleasant to stay, if you decide to go visit the Château de Saumur. Charming small hotels are distributed in the city, as well as affordable channels. You will also find an excellent apartment offer in Airbnb . But the must certainly remains the river lodges, which will allow you to spend a night in an unusual setting on the Loire.