Beaulieu-sur-Layon - Angers

Departure from Pont Barré, in Beaulieu-sur-Layon.

(S) Turn your back on the old bridge and join the former railway line after passing under the motorway bridge. The greenway stretches gently between the river and the foot of the vineyard hillside.

(1) At Les Planches, cross the road (D204) and continue on the greenway. Pass the Mulonnière estate and its château before coming out onto the D54.

(2) Leave the cycle route for a moment for a short detour to Rablay-sur-Layon. This charming village is well worth a visit, especially the artists' village, which is full of wonders.

(3) Descend from the village towards the Layon to rejoin the greenway.

(2) Turn right to continue gently upstream.

(4) Cross the road (D124) at Gilbourg, then pass above the old Jumeau mill. At the end of the straight stretch that follows, you will reach the end of the route along the Layon.

(5) At the end of Chemin de la Gare, turn left just before reaching the departmental road. Gather your strength, because you'll have to climb up to the plateau! The hill is not very long but very steep (more than 10%), and only levels off as you approach the Moulin de la Placette, whose conical base can be seen in the middle of a recently renovated housing complex.

(6) At the next crossroads, turn right, taking the time to admire the Moulin de la Pinsonnerie, a little further on the left, which is complete. Reach the village of Faye d'Anjou via a quiet little road through the vineyards.

(7) Cross the village from south to north until you reach the Trois Croix crossroads. You can't miss it: the three crosses await you on the left-hand side of the road.

(8) At Trois Croix, take the road diagonally to the left (cycle route that you follow beyond Brissac-Quincé), then after La Ribellerie, turn right towards the Beaulieu Forest, which you can see on the horizon. Reach the Route de la Forge.

(9) Turn left, then continue on the farm track that extends it. Stay alert, as this section is not very passable and you will need to slalom between the potholes.

(10) At the edge of the forest, turn right and follow the path that runs alongside it until you reach a crossroads of forest paths.

(11) Turn right to follow the last edge of the forest before coming to a crossroad. On the left, follow the cycle path that runs alongside this road for 150 metres, then turn right to cross a wine-growing area. Pass Bellevue and then a small valley, and turn left to follow a track that runs more or less parallel to the D55. As you approach Vauchrétien, leave this track to join the departmental road.

(12) Turn left to reach the centre of the village.

(13) At the church, turn left to follow the main street, then the Route de Brissac, which continues on from it. On leaving the village, take the track that runs parallel to the road and you will reach the foot of the Château de Brissac-Quincé.

(14) At the roundabout after the wine cooperative, turn right to cross the Aubance river and find yourself at the foot of the imposing castle.

(15) Facing the entrance gate, turn left to climb the winding ramp that leads to the heart of the village of Brissac.

(16) At the top of the ramp, enter the village to find a triangular square. Walk up the right-hand side, then continue along the small street that leads straight out from the corner of the square. Further on, you will come to a large esplanade which you must cross entirely to reach Rue du Maréchal Joffre.

(17) Turn left onto this street and follow it for about 200 metres, then turn right onto Rue de Verdun. Continue along this street until you cross the ring road.

(18) Leave the green and white cycle route markings to cross the ring road and continue straight ahead through the vineyards until you reach a place called Le Clos du Chêne.

(19) At the first houses, take the road that branches off to the left. Follow an old railway line that leads to the village of Buchêne through vineyards and fields. Exposed to the wind and without any shade, this section is a wonderful greenway on an old railway line!

(20) When you reach Buchêne, leave the greenway on the right and cross the village from south to north.

(21) Once you have left the village, turn left at the next crossroads and then immediately right to cross the vineyards towards Saint-Jean-des-Mauvrets, which you reach via a succession of hamlets through which the route and the Chemin du Moulin Neuf wind their way.

(22) Opposite No. 31, turn left onto Rue Saint-Almand, then right onto Rue du Golf. At the roundabout, turn left to go down the street and cross the Petit Louet on the bridge that leads to the alluvial meadows of the Loire. Continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroad.

(23) Leave the tarmac road and turn left onto a sandy track (watch out for numerous potholes) which leads to Juigné-sur-Loire. Cross the Petit Louet again to enter the village of Juigné.

(24) At the end of Chemin du Pont du Magasin, turn right and, after a little over a kilometre, you will reach the river just before the Louet diversion.

(25) Continue along this road, pass under the motorway viaduct and arrive at a crossroads with a large central island at the entrance to Les Ponts-de-Cé.

(26) Turn right towards Angers, cross the bridge over the Louet, then immediately turn left onto Chemin du Bois d'Avault. Take the first street on the right and follow the cycle route through the Saint-Maurille neighbourhood, parallel to the departmental road.

(27) Cross the bridge over the Loire on the left, taking care as there is heavy traffic. Cross the Île district, then Saint-Aubin, beyond the arm of the river of the same name.

(28) A final bridge over the Authion completes the crossing of the Loire and its tributaries and takes you into the Angers conurbation. You will find yourself back in an urban environment with heavy traffic and a more or less organised space for cyclists. Continue straight on Rue David d'Angers until you reach the shared gardens and a roundabout. Cross a large dual carriageway boulevard.

(29) As you approach it, follow the cycle route that goes around it on the right and take Rue des Ponts-de-Cé, which branches off to the right from the boulevard. Continue up this road until you reach Boulevard d'Estienne-d'Orves.

(30) Cross this wide road and continue straight ahead to the end of the street.

(31) At the École Supérieure d'Agriculture d'Angers, cross Rue Rabelais and turn left onto Rue de Brissac. Follow this street until you cross the railway line and come out onto Rue Paul Bert.

(32) Turn left onto this boulevard, then left onto Rue du Haras, which leads to the forecourt of Angers-Saint-Laud Station (E).

The route follows or intersects with marked cycle paths (green and white signs). Be careful not to get carried away by how easy it is to follow them, as the route described sometimes deviates from them. The sections where you can follow the signs are indicated.

It would be a shame to pass through Brissac-Quincé without taking the time to visit the highest castle in France, and one of the last in the Loire Valley, and to taste the wines produced by the estate.