In the centre of the area of Saumur, close to the century- old reputed vineyard, Bouvet- Ladubay welcomes you in its cellars. Along its 5 miles long galleries excavated in the “tuffeau” stone, you will discover that for Bouvet- Ladubay, wine is a living art which needs to be elaborated with wisdom, mixing tradition and advance technology. Bouvet-Ladubay has become the fist exporter of SAUMUR BRUT (extra-dry) today and remains a luxurious home- made product above all. On its premises, where “Excellency” is regarded as a reference, Bouvet-Ladubay displays for you all the stages of the making of its vintage wines, from the first fermentation to the labelling of the bottles. You will appreciate the flavours when tasting. The story of the wine cellars started 1000 years ago at the time of the builders. The Saint Florent monks, who were expelled from the first dungeon of Saumur by FOULQUE NERA in 1025, were among the fist builders. The settled down there on the hills overlooking the Thouet river, excavated the first galleries to quarry the tuffeau stone which was then used to build the abbey “La Belle d’Anjou” consecrated on October 1040 and which knew its biggest influence in the 13th century. The Bouvet-Ladubay wine cellars are the cellars of that abbey. At the end of the 19th century, the extraction of the “tuffeau” stone which was used to build a great number of monuments in France and in Europe came to an end ; on top of the castles and abbeys in the Loire Valley area, we can quote the abbey of Westminster. The “Underground Cathedral” is today a set of 35 monuments created in 2002, along 0,4 mile long galleries displayed with music and lights.