From Hotel Ibis in Chinon, a gentle drive through the rolling countryside follows.
After the fire in 1932, the 19th century Château de la Mothe Chandeniers turned into a living ruin. Located on the edge of the most famous valley in France, the castle is a unique, mysterious and romantic work. Throughout its history, it has experienced opulent glory, neglect, daring rebuilding, dramatic fire and astonishing survival

Not everything is what it seems, and the castle of Brézé is certainly not an ordinary castle; behind its stone armor hides the largest underground fortress in Europe. The castle has been there since the 15th century and was created from a succession of defensive construction works. The first constructions on the rock are still there and can be visited. After visiting the above-ground castle you can enter the rock tunnels and ditches to discover the secrets of the noble families who lived here.
In 1983 the castle was recognized as a Historic Monument. This gives you access to one of the deepest secrets of the Loire: a castle under a castle. The contrast between the two castles is striking; one with all the bells and whistles of the Renaissance and Neo-Gothic, the other hiding in the depths of the ditches. This is how you enter the main underground castle in Europe, which was shaped by a network of miles of underground passages and caves. The cave village still houses the stables, a bakery, a 17th century silkworm nursery and the wine presses that produced the wine for the royal tables in the 15th century. Even now, Castle Brézé still cultivates its 28 hectares of vines and produces various wines that you can of course taste here.

The road winds further through the countryside to the Loire. The village of Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg has an important troglodyte heritage. Vast cellars, some dug in the Middle Ages, are still used for the vinification of many AOCs (Appelation d'Origine Controlée - Awarded to high quality French wines produced within a precisely defined area. An AOC also serves to enhance the character of to protect and improve a wine) from the Saumur region or for the cultivation of the Paris mushroom.
Château de Saumur sits majestically above the Loire River in the city of Saumur. The white stones, medieval machico-bladed drum towers and the blue-colored roof convey a sense of strength and romance straight out of a fairytale. The castle-palace of the Dukes of Anjou had many adventures before it came under the protection of Historical Monuments.
You can enjoy a nice meal in restaurant La Boucherie. Tasty cuts of meat, local specialties, large fresh salads, gourmet burgers ... the chef's recipes combine modernity and tradition.
When you leave Saumur you drive over the Thouet. This is a tributary of the Loire. The river has its source at Secondigny, near the source of the Sèvre Nantaise, and joins the Loire just west of Saumur. It is 142.6 km (88.6 mi) long.
In the Mushroom Museum you can discover 250 species of mushrooms. It is one of the first caves you can visit in Anjou. A few hundred meters further you come to the Museum Pierre et Lumière. You can discover the most beautiful monuments of the Loire Valley carved out of tuff here. They are exhibited along a troglodyte trail.
In the small village of Trèves we take a short detour along the keep. With the elements of the ramparts still visible, this is the main vestige of the 15th century castle. This 33 m high military keep, rectangular on one side, rounded on the other, built with tuff giving it a beautiful golden color, is still impressive. It is provided with loopholes or archers. You can climb up where you have a nice view of the surroundings.

Glanfeuil Abbey was a French Benedictine monastery. The site is believed to be a Gallo-Roman villa, and the religious community dates back to the sixth century. Glanfeuil claimed to be the oldest Benedictine foundation in Gaul. A scientific vision makes Rorgon I of Maine the founder or patron in 824. Odo became abbot in the 850. In 868, the monks of Glanfeuil founded a second monastery, at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés. The Abbey was destroyed by the Normans, but rebuilt. It was suppressed in 1790 as a result of the French Revolution. The building was listed as a historic monument in 1958 and registered in 1996. Today, the Abbey of Saint Maur is an activity center for discovery lessons during school periods but also for colonies during the holidays.

With no fewer than seven floors, the imposing castle of Brissac overlooks the vast estate that loses itself in the foliage of the distant forest and the gentle curves of the surrounding hills. It has an amazing history as it has been in the same family for five centuries; the Cossé-Brissac family. The thirteenth Duke of Brissac still lives here. He cherishes this extraordinary heritage with his beautiful interiors with gold leaf and original tapestries. With its 7 floors, Brissac Castle is the highest castle in France, and thus deserves its nickname 'Géant du Val de Loire' (Giant of the Loire Valley).
During the Wars of Religion, the castle was badly damaged, after which work began on the reconstruction of a stately, high-rise building. But the work was not completed, therefore the Brissac facade shows contrasting styles: medieval towers and a Renaissance main building. It was also during this time that King Louis XIII was reconciled with his mother, Maria de 'Medici, here at Brissac Castle. The room in which this historical event took place has been preserved. The Revolution also left its mark and it was only later that the castle regained its former splendor. Although it also suffered later adversity, it is still a family heritage that is now maintained with great care by the 13th Duke of Brissac. A visit to the castle is an enchanting experience in which one travels through the various styles that have left their mark here over the centuries. Paintings and tapestries, furniture and valuable utensils are adorned with beautifully decorated ceilings.
The landscaped park offers endless views of the wooded hills that extend over 70 hectares. The domain offers varied green scenes, from roads under the foliage, to walking paths where you can enjoy the sound of the rippling water in the basins, flower beds and lawns; and all this bordered by the vineyards of the estate.

Now it is only a few kilometers more to the hotel in Angers. But first, a visit to the castle of Angers is still on the program. The formidable fortress surrounding Angers Castle is an outstanding 13th-century military piece. The fort was built from 1230 to discourage any English and Breton fads. Thus appeared a large wall of slate and limestone, 40 meters high, flanked by 17 towers with a diameter of 12 meters, which give the castle its inexorable appearance.
Once under the gate, you will discover a pleasant palace that houses an unadulterated treasure, the largest medieval tapestry in the world: the Apocalypse Tapestry. At the end of the 14th century, it took nine years! This masterpiece of medieval art is unique in the world. It depicts the Day of Judgment from the Biblical Book of Revelation of John. The current length of the tapestry is approximately one hundred meters, but it was originally 140 meters long. Some pieces have disappeared into nature ... Historians continue to discover new details that slowly unravel the mystery of this enormous tapestry.

You drive across the Maine to the 'Hotellerie Bon Pasteur', close to the city center and the castle. It has a large landscaped garden and private parking.