Champignonnière du Saut-aux-Loups

Useful Information

Location:	Montsoreau
Open:	Museum: MAR to 15-NOV daily 10-18. Restaurant: MAR to mid-JUN Sat, Sun, Hol lunch. Mid-JUN to mid-SEP Mon, Wed, Thus, Sat, Sun, Hol lunch and dinner. Mid-SEP to NOV Sat, Sun, Hol lunch. [2010]
Fee:	Museum: Adults EUR 5.90, Children EUR 4.50, Students EUR 4.50. Groups (20+): Adults EUR 4.90, Children EUR 3.90. [2010]
Classification:	Limestone Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Champignonnière du Saut-aux-Loups, Route de Saumur, 49730 Montsoreau, Tel: +33-241-517030, Fax: +33-241-381530. 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 Champignonnière du Saut-aux-Loups is a mushroom farm, museum, and restaurant located inside a former underground quarry. Two hectares of Medieval underground chambers are used for the growing of mushrooms, a part is an underground museum. The exhibition includes local archaeology, fossils and flints, Medieval quarrying methods, and mushroom growing.

The restaurant has a small room in a former cave house. There is a medium sized chamber for 45 persons and a banquet hall for up to 120 guests. A large terrace overlooks the Loire.

The name Champignonnière du Saut-aux-Loups translates Mushroom Farm of the Leaping Wolf. The mascot of the restaurant is a cartoon wolf, but actually Saut-aux-Loups means somersault. It is a term from mushroom growing: when the mushrooms reach a certain size, they fall down by their own weight with a somersault.