Sancerre

Loire Valley

What may surprise you most (it did us) on a visit to the town of Sancerre is the way that it rises from the plains of the Loire Valley as if to proclaim its position as lord of all it surveys. It is a position of strength that has made the village a strategic location for most of its history. The village grew up around a small church and then abbey of the11th century but there is evidence of an even earlier Roman settlement - it was probably they who planted the first vines.

This eventually led to a fortress being built by local noblemen in the 12th century to secure what at the time was one of the most important defensive sites of the region. The castle walls had six defensive towers built into it - one, the

'

Tour des Fiefs' which has survived the ravages of time, can still be climbed today to take in the surrounding panoramas. The fortification helped repel English armies from two attacks during the Hundred Years' War, unfortunately the protection did not extend to the nearby church and abbey which were destroyed by the English.

During the French ‘Wars of Religion’ the town was also the site of the infamous ‘Siege of Sancerre’ (3 January-19 August 1573) where the Huguenot (Protestant) population held out for nearly eight months against the Catholic forces of the king before finally giving in to starvation - they were reduced to eating their dogs - and a promise of religious freedom that never actually materialised. The king would eventually order the destruction of the defences so as to prevent any future resistance to the crown.

Speaking of resistance, the town also played its part during WWll as the regional centre for the French Resistance,

There is a pretty town centre where the majority of commerce can be found

There are a number of good restaurants

in and around Sancerre including the Michelin rated La Tour in the town centre itself and with choices from pizzas to gourmet cooking you should be able to find something to suit your tastes and budget.

There is also a 'salon de the' within the well stocked patisserie

Despite its turbulent history the town has been able to maintain much of its architectural heritage with many fine examples of 15th century houses surviving to this day. Its picturesque streets make exploring the town a pleasure and you will find yourself

stopping off at a café or restaurant or trying the famous local wine in the many wine caves spread throughout the town.

Ah! the wine - it's what brings most visitors here - it's why we went. The

dry, white Sancerre wines from the

Sauvignon Blanc grape

have made this little corner of France famous the world over but did you know that

until the dreaded

phylloxera

arrived in the late 19th century, this was Pinot Noir country producing mainly red wines. The Sauvignon Blanc grape planted to replace the lost vines thrives in the variety of soils (terroirs) that surround the town. Limestone, clay and flintstone (silex) all contribute to the tastes. The area which includes many of the surrounding hamlets does h

owever not only produce its famous white wines but it is also home to some very good red wines crafted from the Pinot Noir grape and some delightful, savoury rosé wines.

To get some insight into the 'terroir' and how it affects the local wines we suggest you visit

l'Aronde Sancerroise where a very knowledgeable and charming lady will talk you through the geological qualities of the soil and allow you to taste their effect on the wines.

Next to the church in the town, (

3, Rue des Meridiens)

you will also find the

Maison-des-Sancerre

which provides the same comprehensive information on the soil and the producers but in a more formal way plus they will let you know about visiting the hundreds of wine houses of the surrounding area. You should also check out the views from their garden

.

Open daily from March 26 to November 13.
March, April, May, October and November: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
June, July, August, September. 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Adult Price: 5 €
Free for children under 12 years

There is a tourist circuit, available from the

tourist office

on Esplanade Porte César - ask for 'Le Fil d'Ariane' leaflet - which is a red trail painted on the roads which gives you a guided tour of the town (there is also one for the kids). If you walk to the end of the road you will be rewarded with great views over the river Loire.

You will also be looking down towards the hamlet of

Chavignol which is home to the famous goat's cheese of the same name

'Crottin de Chavignol' which is supposed to be a great accompaniment for the white wines of the area. The hamlet only has 200 inhabitants but its numbers swell during high season when visitors come to sample the cheese and do a spot of wine tasting in one of the many wine caves along its main street.

When we visited the town we stayed in the centrally located 'Le Clos Saint Martin' which was very comfortable - you can check it out here along with other hotels in the town .

External links:

www.actualites-maison-des-sancerre You can see some great photographs of the vine harvest here

www.maison-des-sancerre.com

Find out about wine events in the area

www.golf-sancerre.com/ Golf

vins-centre-loire.com/

Wine events in and around Sancerre

Sancerre

OVERVIEW

CONTACT

CONNECT