Grenetière Tower

In front of you stands the Grenetière Tower, one of the most striking medieval towers in Saumur. Perched at the southwest corner of the old city walls, it once guarded the surrounding countryside and the road leading to Poitou. Built as part of the town’s defenses, it stands out for its trefoil-patterned machicolations—an elegant architectural detail typical of Saumur, blending beauty and strength. In the 17th century, the tower took on a new role as a wheat granary, where grain was stored to feed the poor during times of famine. That’s how it came to be known as the “Grénetière.” Not long after, by order of Louis XIV, it was transformed into a prison for salt smugglers—called “faux-sauniers”—who were sentenced to the galleys. The tower kept this grim function for more than a century and later served briefly as a prison again during the Revolution. In the 19th century, it became part of the nearby gendarmerie barracks and was used simply as a storage room. Thanks to careful restoration, the tower has now regained its distinctive machicolations and its original medieval look. Classified as a Historic Monument, the Grenetière Tower stands today as one of the last surviving witnesses to Saumur’s ancient fortifications.