Authion (rivière) walks

Surrounded by vineyards, Bourgueil offers an exceptional setting for lovers of wine, heritage and nature. Discover our family trail starting from the Maison des Vins de Bourgueil (free parking). We offer a 8km circular loop of signposted trails through the vineyards, suitable for all ages. Finish with a visit to the Maison des Vins, where you can taste the appellation’s wines and/or grape juices.

Channelled and culverted, the Mongazon flows beneath your feet; you’ll discover it as you walk. You’ll come across other watercourses – the valley is teeming with them. You’ll follow the banks of the Authion upstream towards the village of Trélazé. You’ll return via the Levée Napoléon. You’ll climb the Butte du Buisson, which offers an unforgettable view of the valley. A route set mainly in natural surroundings, allowing you to discover the flora and fauna typical of this ‘industrial wasteland’.

This loop offers a chance to discover the rivers that flow through the south of Angers, and the vineyards that have colonised the area. In three stages, starting in Angers, you first travel down the Maine as far as Bouchemaine, then follow the north bank of the Loire, with an incursion onto the island of Béhuard. The first stage ends at Montjean-sur-Loire, on the back roads around the island of Chalonnes. The next day, the route heads for Chalonnes-sur-Loire and the Corniche Angevine before descending to the Layon. Stop off at Beaulieu-sur-Layon. Finally, we follow the Layon again as far as Faye d'Anjou. After the Layon hillsides, you enter the Aubence hillsides, whose wines are no less renowned. After Brissac-Quincé and its astonishing château, you return to the Loire, passing through the villages along its banks until you reach Les Ponts-de-Cé. Crossing over to the north bank, we leave the vineyards for Angers, which we return to after three busy days.

This is the third stage of a cycle tour in southern Anjou. The route first follows the Layon between Beaulieu and Faye d'Anjou, then heads towards Brissac-Quincé through forests and vineyards. Leaving the imposing castle behind, you then join the string of villages that line the Loire, before descending to Les Ponts-de-Cé. Crossing the river marks the end of the vineyards and the entrance to the Angers conurbation, the end of the three-day journey.