The castle of saumur stands on the Loire river itself, at the junction with the Thouet river. It is built withthe famous Loire white stone called tuffeau.
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We know nothing about the original castle, except it is noted in a 968 text.

The count of Anjou, Foulques Nerra takes the castle in 1026. It will remain in the Plantagenets possessions untill 1202 when Philippe II of France seizes all continental possessions os King John of England.
By that time, it is a XII century castle, including a major central tower of 19 meters per 17 meters, with 3 meters thick walls (today disapeared) surronded by a square wall and 4 round towers.
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In 1351, the king John II of France gives the duchy of Anjou to his second son, Louis. Louis will transform the castle into a renaissance palace. The main tower will be cut to the ground, new octagonal towers replace old round ones, and buildings are built against the walls.

The outside wall will be raise in 1646 during the religion wars, as it was given to the protestants as a security place.
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It will then turn into a prison untill 1841, and finally a weapon and ammunition storage.
Bought by the city of Saumur in 1912, it becomes a museum.

It was being restored since 1997 to its renaissance state, when in 2001 an outside wall collapsed with the heavy rains.
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restitution of an original window

Since then, major work on the castle is done to rebuilt the lost parts, and secure the main castle from destruction for over 23 billion euros. The castle thus is closed untill probably 2011, and the restoration stopped.

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To know everything about the work : http://www.pays-de-la-loire.culture.gouv.f...umur/index.html

pics of the collapse of the outer wall....

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before.....

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.....after

this is a postcard showing the castle before the 1997 restoration program
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Compare with this view i took this weekend.. notice the changes by the left hand tower and near windows.
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That's a great pity the program had to be stopped untill the castle is secured.
This one is one of may favourites though, because the castle is still there under the chateaux : square yard with round towers up to a couple of meters.

another postcard showing a famous early XVth century miniature (from the riches heures du duc de berry) showing the castle at that time.
It's been the major reference for the restoration program.
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notice the left tower and window and compare with previous post.

Thanks Fred for a very interesting topic and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!.

And Happy Birthday again!

Great pics btw - wonder how they're getting on with that collapsed wall!!