The tour of the banks of the Loir from Villevêque

Route marked in purple.

Please note: this walk is not accessible during periods of flooding. 

The Roche-Foulques ferry operates from mid-April to October; it is essential for completing the entire route.

Starting point: Engrenage-Moulin car park in Villevêque – free parking.

(S/E) Head towards the beach.

(1) Walk through a shaded rest area, keeping the River Loir on your right. Pass a block of toilet facilities, then take the gravel path, which turns into a grassy track as it winds around a playground and picnic area. Along the banks of the River Loir, follow the path on the left. When you reach a gate, take the path on the left until you come to a tarmac road.

(2) Turn right onto it. Continue along the gravel path, ignore the path on the left, and veer to the right. Carry on to the end.

(3) Leave the route shared with the GR® (marked in white and red) and turn right towards the River Loir. Just before the river, take a path on the left. Cross the bridge, then turn right until you reach the ferry. 

(4) Cross the ferry (chain ferry; there is an information board and instructions). Turn right, towards La Roche-Foulques.

(5) On the left, a path climbs towards the Chapel of Saint-Julien (^12th century). Turn right, following the Loir, until you reach a crossing leading onto a shaded path. Continue between the Loir and the meadows. Leave the banks of the Loir and turn left at a right angle. You’ll arrive at a crossroads between a reed bed and meadows.

(6) Take the path on the right. Continue straight on, in the shade of the poplars, crossing water-filled ditches leading to the drinking trough. Turn left, then right, skirting a large reed bed, and head right towards the Soucelles Washhouse and the Saint-Armel Fountain.

(7)After the wash house, go straight on. Pass on the left, under the car access gantry, and carry on. Before reaching the River Loir, take a path on the left, cross a small bridge, pass through the poplar grove, turn left and join the D 113.

(8) Cross the road, then turn right. Take the safe footpath, cross the D 113 again, and arrive at L’Engrenage – Moulin de Villevêque via Rue du Port (S/E).

Please note: this walk is not accessible during periods of flooding 

The Roche-Foulques ferry operates from mid-April to October (it is essential for completing the entire route).

Facilities available:
- Picnic tables at Villevêque harbour and near the Roche-Foulques ferry
- Barbecues
- Benches 

Practical information:
- Public transport stop located less than 500 m from the starting points
- Cycle-friendly path
- Toilets at the Engrenage-Moulin car park
Route marked in purple.

Tourist attractions:
- Villevêque Castle Museum: A fortress built in^{the 12th} century, it houses the works bequeathed by the Duclaux family in 2002 to the city of Angers to serve as an annex to the Museum of Fine Arts. It features a significant collection of art from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
- Villevêque Mills: for eight centuries, the three mills in the commune produced oil, paper and flour. Today, only the Moulin de Froment and the Grand Moulin remain, both now used for electricity generation.
- To cross the River Loir and explore the reed bed and the chapel at La Roche-Foulques, you need to take the chain ferry, which is operated by hand.