History of Saumur

You’re now walking along Rue du Temple, right in the heart of Saumur—the perfect moment to step back in time and uncover the origins of the city once known as “the White One.” Its story began long before the elegant riders of the Cadre Noir; its roots reach all the way back to Antiquity. The Romans first settled here to control a strategic crossing of the Loire, but it was in the 10th century that Saumur truly began to take shape, growing around a priory founded by Benedictine monks. High on the hill, the silhouette of Saumur Castle—now the city’s proudest landmark—emerged under the Counts of Anjou.

Around the year 1000, Fulk Nerra turned it into a fortress, later transformed in the 14th century by Louis I of Anjou into a princely residence. Its elegant turrets and mullioned windows marked the passage from the rugged Middle Ages to the graceful Renaissance. The Loire itself shaped Saumur’s prosperity.

Thanks to its port, the town became a bustling center of trade. In the 16th century, it also became famous as a Protestant stronghold when King Henry IV founded an academy that drew scholars from across Reformed Europe. But the Wars of Religion left deep scars, and after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, many Huguenots were forced to flee.

In the 18th century, Saumur found new life through its wines, which gained renown thanks to the vast cellars carved into the soft tuffeau stone. These troglodyte caves still house mushroom farms, wine cellars, and even homes. The 19th century brought Saumur its military prestige with the creation of the Cavalry School in 1825, which became home to the Cadre Noir—an enduring symbol of French horsemanship and tradition.

During the Second World War, Saumur faced one of its darkest moments. In June 1940, the cadets of the Cavalry School fought bravely along the Loire, holding off the German advance in an act of remarkable courage remembered to this day. Today, Saumur is a place where history, culture, and the art of living blend beautifully.

The castle still watches over the Loire—now a UNESCO World Heritage Site—while the town’s narrow lanes, wine cellars, and proud equestrian spirit continue to embody the timeless elegance of the Loire Valley.