Château de Brézé
'One castle above ground, another below': the château boasts Europe's deepest dry moat and several kilometers of limestone tunnels.
Château de Brézé lies about 12 km south of Saumur. Above ground it is a castle in Renaissance and 19th-century style. Below ground, several kilometers of limestone passages, rooms, a kitchen, a wine cellar, and a silkworm-rearing room have been carved out of the white rock, which is why it is called the 'underground castle.' The dry moat surrounding the castle is about 18 meters deep and is said to be the deepest in Europe. The tour combines the rooms above ground with the underground passages, and at the end you can taste the castle's own Saumur wine. Admission is about €15. The underground temperature is about 12°C, so bring a jacket even in summer.
Opening hours
About 10:00–18:00 (shorter in winter)
Nearby sights
- Musée des Blindés (Tank Museum)
- Dolmen de Bagneux
- Notre-Dame de Nantilly
- Château de Saumur
- Saumur Old Town & Place Saint-Pierre
- Distillerie Combier
- Musée de la Cavalerie
- Turquant Troglodyte Village