and which was designed by the architect Jean Drapeau. A giant sequoia tree (which is protected) stands in the grounds of Château de Beaulieu. The Dolmen de Bagneux is on the old road going south. The architectural character of the town owes much to the fact that it is constructed almost exclusively of Tuffeau stone. The wine industry surrounds Saumur, many utilising the tunnels as cellars with the hundreds of domaines producing white, red, rosé and sparkling wines. Visits to producers and the annual Grandes Tablées du Saumur-Champigny is an annual event held in early August with over 1 km of tables set up in Saumur so people can sample the local foods and wine. Saumur has a weekly market every Saturday morning with hundreds of stalls open for business in the streets and squares of the old town, from before 8am. Notable people Saumur was the birthplace of: Gabriel Dugrès (fl. 1643), French Huguenot grammarian Anne Le Fèvre Dacier (1654–1720), scholar and translator of classics Jeanne Delanoue (1666-1736), made a Roman Catholic Saint in 1982 François Bontemps (1753–1811), General of the French Revolutionary Wars Charles Ernest Beulé (1826–1874), archeologist Coco Chanel (1883–1971), fashion designer Marie Adrien Persac (1823–1873), Franco-American lithographer and photographer Yves Robert (1920–2002), actor, composer, director, writer, producer Jack le Goff (1931-2009), equestrian Fanny Ardant (b. 1949), actress Dominique Pinon (b. 1955), actor Youna Dufournet (b. 1993), French artistic gymnast Other: The French mathematician Abraham de Moivre initially studied logic at Saumur. Marquis de Sade was briefly imprisoned in the Château de Saumur (then a prison) in 1768. Jehan Alain (1911-1940), organist and composer, was killed during the Battle of Saumur. Twin towns – sister cities Saumur is twinned with: Formigine, Italy Verden an der Aller, Germany Warwick, England, United Kingdom Asheville, North Carolina, USA Demographics In 1973 Saumur absorbed four neighbouring communes. The population data for 1968 and earlier in the table and graph below refer to the pre-1973 borders. See also Musée des Blindés Battle of Saumur (1940) References External links Official website (in French) Notre Dame des Ardilliers - Article in the Catholic Encyclopedia about a Catholic pilgrimage center in the town Tank Museum of Saumur (Musée des Blindés) Chateau de Beaulieu Les séquoias géants en Pays-de-la-Loire Chateau of Saumur (in French) Cadre Noir Saumur Cricket Club Communes of Maine-et-Loire Subprefectures in France Anjou