Visiting Château de Brézé

Are there Castles with a moat in the Loire Valley?

Yes, Chateau Breze has a dry moat that is 18m deep and 10m wide. The moat is dry because there were difficulties keeping the moat filled with water due to the porous nature of the ground underneath the Chateau which is composed of tufa. Tufa is a porous, sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate deposited by precipitation from water, typically from springs or streams with high concentrations of dissolved minerals. Tufa forms when calcium-rich water emerges from the ground and the dissolved minerals precipitate out, gradually building up layers of sediment. Over time, these layers can solidify into a relatively soft, porous rock known as tufa.

Chateau Breze is also unique in that it has a network of underground tunnels dug in the tufa under the castle. According to their website, it is suggested that the castle of Breze is considered the largest underground fortress in Europe. There is literally an entire chateau under the chateau. This aspect of the chateau, even though it’s not one of the most visited Chateau in the region, makes it interesting to visit. Carved into the soft tufa rock are a series of vast underground galleries, a testament to the ingenuity of the early inhabitants. These troglodyte dwellings date back as far as the 9th century and were originally used for storage and shelter. Over time, the de Brézé family expanded and elaborated upon these subterranean spaces, creating a network of stables, kitchens, and even a remarkable mushroom farm – a marvel of temperature and humidity control, ensuring a year-round supply of mushrooms.

Visitation to Chateau de Breze has been growing over time and it has earned it a place in the network of Grand Sites of the Loire Valley, which brings together 20 castles and abbeys in the region.

Château de Brézé is located in the Loire Valley region of France. Specifically, it is situated in the commune of Brézé, which is in the Maine-et-Loire department in the Pays de la Loire region. Chateau de Breze is located approximately 332 kilometers southwest from Paris, 67.5 kilometers southeast of Angers and 29.6 kilometers west of Chinon. It is 77.3 kilometers southwest of Tours, France.

We drove here from Angers basecamp on our way to our next basecamp at Chinon. It was an easy route, east on the French route A-85 and we exited and crossed the Loire River on route D-347. 77 kilometers through some really pretty agricultural areas, especially after we crossed the river.

The story of Château de Brézé begins in the 11th century, when a simple wooden fort was erected to defend the surrounding lands. Over the centuries, the fort transformed into a stone castle, strategically positioned on a rocky outcrop overlooking the village of Brézé. The 13th century saw the arrival of the de Brézé family, who would become the chateau's custodians for over 700 years.

Under the de Brézé family's stewardship, Château de Brézé transitioned from a purely defensive structure to a comfortable residence. The 15th century marked a period of significant architectural changes. The donjon, the central tower, was expanded and adorned with elegant windows, reflecting the emerging Renaissance style. Courtyards were added, and the living quarters were enhanced for comfort and beauty.

• The dry moat: The dry moat was one of the cool features of the chateau. Imagine scaling down into the moat and trying to get into the castle when the drawbridge was raised.
• Historic Rooms and Chambers: Inside the castle, visitors can explore various rooms and chambers, including the Great Hall, bedrooms, and dining areas, which showcase the castle's rich history and grandeur.
• The keep: Known as the "Donjon" in French. The keep is a fortified tower or structure that served as a residence for the lord or noble family, as well as a last line of defense during times of siege. The keep at Château de Brézé is an integral part of the castle's defensive architecture and historical significance. It is over 30 meters tall and visitors can climb to the top to see views around the castle.
• The Underground: Includes underground cellars, pressing room for pressing grapes, underground stables, dungeons, silkworm farm, quarry, and more
• Get a treat: Visit the “Glacier” or “Boulangerie” for some ice cream or snack.

When we departed the chateau we ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant named Abbey Le Délice in a little village named Fontevraud-l'Abbaye on our way to Chinon. The food was wonderful and dessert and espresso even better! We enjoyed little stops like this during our stay in the Loire. We would stop when we were hungry and frequently were delighted at these little non-chain restaurants in the countryside. We never had a bad meal. It’s one of the things I miss most when we go back home.

This restaurant is located at 8 Avenue des Roches, 49590 Fontevraud L'Abbaye. We can vouch for the service, the food and the experience and we would eat there again if we were to be in that area once more.

In the "plan your visit" section below we offer a link to google search results for other restaurant choices in the area.

We stayed in Angers and visited Chateau de Breze en route to Chinon. Either of those locations works well when exploring this part of the Loire Valley.

Angers was our first “base camp” for exploring the region and Chinon was our second base camp. The third base camp was Amboise. Tours is a bit further away but also a reasonable choice, good train service and access to the Autoroute system.

In Chinon we stayed at a VRBO rental in the old part of town. It was very spacious and we loved staying right in town. Visit our Chinon page for pictures and images of the rental we chose and more information. Chinon does have some small hotels as well.

In the "plan your visit" section below we offer a link to a Google Search Results page for accommodations in the area.

• How do I get to Château de Brézé?

  From Paris by Car: Follow A-10, A-11 and A-85/E-60 to Canton de Perray/D-767 in Vivy. Take exit 3 from A85/E60 to Route de Saumur/D-347 to D-93 in Bellevigne-les-Châteaux. Here is a link to a Google Map for the exact route, as the directions become complicated once you get to route D-93 (multiple roundabouts, etc).

  From Paris by Train: There are no direct trains; you could take a train from Paris Montparnasse to St Pierre Des Corps in Tours and change trains there to travel to the Saumur-Rive-Droite Station in Saumur. You would then need to take a taxi 8.3 miles to the chateau.

  From Paris by Bus tour: We couldn't find any bus tours.

• Château de Brézé Parking: There is a large parking lot in front of the Chateau on the Rue de l'Amiral Maillé Brézé. It is currently free to the public, however they do not allow overnight parking.
• Where to purchase Château de Brézé Tickets: Their website has a link to where tickets can be purchased, but we bought our tickets at the chateau entrance.
• Château de Brézé Hours: Currently 10:00AM to 6:00PM, 7 days per week. There are seasonal variations, see their website for details.
• Nearby Restaurants: Here is a link to a Google Search Results list for restaurants near Château de Brézé.
• Nearby Accommodations: Here is a link to a Google Search Results page for accommodations near Château de Brézé.

• Wikipedia Article: Click here to view the Château de Brézé Wikipedia Article.
• Our Image Gallery: Click here to view our Château de Brézé Image Gallery.
• Google Image Gallery: Click here to view the Google Images set for Château de Brézé.
• Château de Brézé Website: Click here to visit their Website.

The following list contains links to all of our other French Destinations, click any blue colored link to go to that page.