Maine (rivière) - Affluent de la Loire walks

Hike through the Baumette floodplains, leading to the confluence of the Loire and Maine rivers. N.B. This hike is only possible during low water periods, from May to October-November. In any case, check in advance.

Two hours to discover the centre of Angers by walking around it!

Just a stone’s throw from Angers city centre, Lac de Maine is a 200-hectare green lung. In June 2020, a groundbreaking initiative was launched to rethink the site, with the aim of improving clarity between the different areas and prioritising their uses. The project is due to be completed in 2026. This walk allows you to discover both the Maine and Lac de Maine, whilst enjoying their new enhancements.

Discover two natural areas in the centre of Angers. The first is a larger lake with a leisure centre, and the second is a wilder pond. Both are beautiful places to encounter the flora and fauna of Angers. This walk is not possible during periods of high water.

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.

The first stage of the cycle loop in the Anjou vineyards, this route joins the Loire, first following the Maine to its confluence, then running alongside the river, passing under the Savennières vineyards. A short stop in Béhuard is a must to discover this unique place, then return to the north bank to Port Giraud, where you cross one of the branches of the Loire to take the small roads of the Île de Chalonnes and reach Montjean-sur-Loire, the end of this first day.

Angers is a city in western France, situated beside the Maine River, on the outskirts of the Loire Valley. The medieval seat of the Plantagenet dynasty, it boasts an old town featuring half-timbered houses, such as the superb Maison d’Adam (built around 1500). Saint-Maurice Cathedral, on the central Place Sainte-Croix, boasts two 75-metre-high towers and magnificent pink stained-glass windows. In the more recent urban areas, a café culture is flourishing.