Saumur-Champigny vineyards cut into tuffeau hillside
Parnay sits on the Loire's left bank between Montsoreau and Saumur, on the Greenwich Meridian.
Tuffeau caves, Cabernet Franc and the Loire à Vélo on your doorstep
Parnay is one of nine communes in the Saumur-Champigny AOC, and its tuffeau hillside holds wine estates with troglodyte cellars carved directly into the rock. Domaine de Rocheville and Château de Parnay both open their cellars to visitors. The Loire à Vélo runs through the village, linking it to Montsoreau, Turquant and Souzay-Champigny along a 15 km stretch of riverside and hillside lanes.
Things you can do here
Activities nearby
Canoe rentalArtannes-sur-Thouetabout 10 km, to the activity
Ride the hillside vineyards
The Loire à Vélo passes through Parnay along quiet lanes between the river and the tuffeau coteaux. On an e-bike the climb from the Loire bank up to the vine plateau — where the view takes in the river and the Fontevraud forest — stops being a reason to skip it.
Visit the troglodyte cellars
Domaine de Rocheville and Château de Parnay both run guided visits of their tuffeau caves, where Saumur-Champigny is aged underground at a naturally stable temperature. Arriving by e-bike from neighbouring villages means the tasting can actually be part of the day, not a detour from it.
Marion
★★★★★
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Visited in September 2026