Les Caves Bouvet-Ladubay

Useful Information

Location:	Saumur
Open:	JUN to SEP Mon-Fri 8:30-19, Sat 9-19, Sun 9:30-19. OCT to MAY Mon-Fri 8:30-12:30, 14:30-18, Sat, Sun, Hol 10-12:30, 14:30-18. [2010]
Fee:	Adults EUR 1, Children EUR 0.50. Groups (12+): free. [2010]
Classification:	Cellar Rock Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
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Address:	Les Caves Bouvet-Ladubay, Saint Hilaire Saint Florent, 49400 Saumur, Tel: +33-241-838383, Fax: +33-241-502432. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The winery Bouvet-Ladubay at Saumur owns an eight kilometer long system of cellars. They were excavated as underground quarries during the 11th century. On the hills above the Thouet the monks of Saint-Florent founded the abbey La Belle d'Anjou. The quarry was started to extract the limestone needed for the abbey, which was consecrated in October 1040. Today the cellars are used for storing the wines of the winery Bouvet-Ladubay. The winery offers tours into the cellar connected with tasting.

The highlight of the visit is La Cathedrale Engloutie (The Sunken Cathedral), a section of the cellar which was converted into an underground art exhibition by the sculptor Philip Cormand. Since 2002 he created 42 monumental sculptures in a 400 m long passage. The exhibition is named after a prelude written by the French composer Claude Debussy for solo piano.