Candes-St-Martin
One of the most beautiful villages in France
The village of Candes-Saint-Martin is located at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire rivers, in the heart of the Loire Valley and its castles, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Natural Park.
The village of Candes-Saint-Martin is located at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire rivers, in the heart of the Loire Valley and its castles, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Natural Park.
Candes-Saint-Martin is the homeland of Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours, who died there in 397. To accommodate an ever-increasing influx of pilgrims coming to pay their respects, Candes-Saint-Martin endowed itself with a building constructed on the very site of Saint Martin’s death.
The collegiate church is a jewel of Angevin Gothic architecture, built at the end of the 12th century. Fortified in the 15th century, its configuration resembles that of Carolingian royal abbeys. Since the Middle Ages, it has been and remains today a major pilgrimage site.
La Prévôté is located just behind the collegiate church of Candes-Saint-Martin.
Candes-Saint-Martin holds the label of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” (The Most Beautiful Villages of France). It is situated:
- In immediate proximity to the village of Montsoreau, also labeled among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, and its castle
- Near the Fontevraud Abbey (6 km)
- Between Saumur (12 km) and Chinon (17 km)
Candes-Saint-Martin is located on the Loire à Vélo route.
À proximité
- Local shops (bakery, butcher, grocery store, weekly market) in Montsoreau (1.5 km)
- Supermarkets in Bourgueil (13 km)