Saumur is well placed for exploring the central Loire Valley by car or by bike along the Loire à Vélo cycle route. The fortified abbey of Fontevraud (a short drive south-east) holds the tombs of the Plantagenet kings — Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Richard the Lionheart all rest here. The Château de Brézé to the south has an extensive network of subterranean fortifications cut into the tuffeau, well worth a couple of hours.
The wider Loire valley is best reached by train: Tours is 30 minutes east, Angers 20 minutes west, both with onward connections to the larger châteaux.