The Tuffeau Stone

The monastic area of Fontevraud is entirely built with a local stone, limestone. Very porous and thus easy to cut, this soft light-colored stone is especially suitable for construction work. It gives the Anjou a strong architectural identity, from the Loire castles to the simplest houses.

The construction and habitat are at the heart of Cité Idéale 2016 Edition, a convivial and cultural event taking place every year in the Royal Abbey. Travel along the different spaces, allowing you to better understand the way humans may appropriate surrounding elements.

More information on the website !

Limestone has been extracted since the Gallo-Roman era, while it reached its peak between the 11th and 12th centuries. After that, the activity ceased in the early 20th century, before experiencing a renaissance thanks to the restoration works of the Abbey that started in the 1960s. To learn more about this building stone, we recommend various important steps to better understand the impact of this stone on the region.

Very close to Fontevraud, 9 minutes by car, in the Epinay, you will find the large quarries from which limestone is extracted. It was the Lucet company that restarted the stone's extraction in 1964 and which now owns these quarries. In addition to the actual extraction, the company is also in charge of the stone's transformation, notably of the sawing. The company also designs many architectural pieces along with the delivery of raw stones.

We also recommend you visit the typical troglodyte housing on the road that connects Fontevraud and Saumur. Those in the vicinity of the community of Turquant are truly spectacular.

Finally, you should take the chance to admire the extraordinary limestone sculptures in the museum Pierre et Lumière, in Saint-Hilaire Saint-Florent. Each creation presents a scaled and very detailed version of the most beautiful monuments in the Loire valley. An absolute must-see.