Travel Guide Cinq-Mars-La-Pile

As its name suggests, the place is famous for its 30-metre high pier, a Gallo-Roman funeral monument dating from the 2nd century that also guided river navigation, and for the Marquis de Cinq-Mars, a conspirator who wanted to harm Richelieu. His feudal and native castle was the victim of his revenge. From this historical monument, we can visit what the cardinal has kindly left of it. More recently, the city's development has been achieved mainly through the Air Force military base, which is very important as a control detection and air rescue centre in France. There is another source of development in the city: its cultivable land, dedicated to cereals. In Cinq-Mars-la-Pile there are only a few vines, but it is in this city that the first vine of the Groslot grape variety, now grown all over the world, grew. But if Cinq-Mars-la-Pile is known in the Loire Valley, it is mainly because of its impressive history.