Three-quarters of the national production of the ‘Champignon de Paris’ is cultivated in the tufa galleries of the Saumur area. The climatic qualities of these places, whose temperature and hygrometry are constant throughout the year, combined with local savoir-faire, have made these caves the kingdom of mushroom-growers. And to avoid going home with an empty stomach, take the time to follow up the tour with a taste of the galipette: a large stuffed mushroom baked in a traditional bread oven. What a treat!
The Cave Dwellings
Dug out of the hillside, cave dwellings offer the advantage of having a constant temperature and humidity level. The greatest of Saumur’s sparkling wines age peacefully here in these galleries of tufa. Astonishing and instructive tours of these subterranean galleries enable you to penetrate the secrets of Crémant de Loire and Saumur Brut.
An Astonishing Habitat
The plain-based cave dwellings are laid out around subterranean sunken areas – sometimes belonging to old quarries. There is an abundance of beautiful examples around Doué-la-Fontaine, as well as at Louresse-Rochemenier. The hill-based cave dwellings are situated on the abrupt and smiling slopes of the banks of the Loire, between Saumur and Montsoreau. In this case, the dwelling stretches along the hillside. What is the result? Cliffs littered with windows and doors, criss-crossed by staircases which are visible from the road.