Saumur - Angers Ride 3 correct layer

From Rue Marceau, 49400 Saumur, Pays de la Loire, France
To Rue Haut de la Baumette, 49130 Angers, Pays de la Loire, France

Château de Saumur majestically overlooks the Loire River in the town of Saumur. The white stone medieval drum towers with machicolations and the blue roof convey both a sense of strength and romance straight out of a fairytale. The castle-palace of the Dukes of Anjou experienced quite a number of adventures before coming under the protection of Historic Monuments.
You can enjoy a delicious meal at restaurant La Boucherie. Tasty cuts of meat, local specialties, large fresh salads, gourmet burgers... the chef's recipes combine modernity and tradition.
As you ride out of Saumur, you travel over the Thouet. This is a tributary of the Loire. The river springs at Secondigny, near the source of the Sèvre Nantaise, and joins the Loire just west of Saumur. It is 142.6 km (88.6 mi) long.
In the Mushroom Museum, 250 species of mushrooms can be discovered. It is one of the first caves you can visit in Anjou. A few hundred meters further, you arrive at the Museum Pierre et Lumière. Here, you can discover the most beautiful monuments of the Loire Valley carved from tuff stone. They are exhibited along a troglodyte path.
In the small village of Trèves, we take a little detour past the keep. With the elements of the ramparts still visible, this is the main remnant of the 15th-century castle. This 33 m high military keep, rectangular on one side and rounded on the other, built with tuff stone giving it a beautiful golden color, is still impressive. It is equipped with arrow slits or archers. You can climb to the top for a beautiful view of the surroundings.

With no less than seven floors, the imposing Château de Brissac looks over the vast estate that fades into the foliage of the distant forest and the gentle curves of the surrounding hills. It has an astonishing history as it has been in the same family; the Cossé-Brissac family, for five centuries. The thirteenth Duke of Brissac still lives here. He cherishes this extraordinary heritage with its magnificent interiors adorned with gold leaf and original tapestries. With its 7 floors, Château Brissac is the tallest castle in France, earning its nickname 'Géant du Val de Loire' (Giant of the Loire Valley).
During the Religious Wars, the castle was heavily damaged, after which the reconstruction of a stately, tall building began. However, the work was never completed, which is why the façade of Brissac shows contrasting styles: medieval towers and a Renaissance main building. The Revolution also left its mark, and it was only later that the castle regained its former glory. Although it faced adversities later on, it remains a family heritage that is now maintained with great care by the 13th Duke of Brissac. A visit to the castle is an enchanting experience in which one travels through the diverse styles that have left their mark here over the centuries. Paintings and tapestries, furniture and valuable utensils are adorned with beautifully decorated ceilings.
The landscaped park offers endless views over the wooded hills that stretch over 70 hectares; all surrounded by the vineyard of the estate.

Now it is just a few more kilometers to Angers. But first, a visit to the Château d'Angers is still on the agenda. The formidable fortress surrounding the Château d'Angers is an excellent 13th-century military work. The fortress was built from 1230 to discourage any English and Breton incursions. Thus, a large wall of slate and limestone, 40 meters high, appeared, flanked by 17 towers with a diameter of 12 meters, giving the castle its relentless appearance.
Once through the gate, one discovers a pleasant palace where an authentic treasure is preserved, the largest medieval tapestry in the world: the Apocalypse Tapestry. It took nine years to create at the end of the 14th century! This masterpiece of medieval art is unique in the world. It depicts the Day of Judgment from the biblical book of Revelation. The current length of the tapestry is about one hundred meters, but it was originally 140 meters long. Some pieces have disappeared into nature… Historians continue to discover new details that slowly unravel the mystery of this enormous tapestry.