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Departure from the end of the bridge over the Loire
(S) From the bridge, follow the arm of the Loire that separates the Île de Chalonnes from the south bank. Follow the houses sheltering at the foot of the hillside until you reach the former industrial site of La Tranchée, where an imposing masonry headframe marks the site of a former mine shaft. At its foot, note the row of old lime kilns.
(1) Once you have passed this site, take the footbridge over the arm of the Loire to reach the tail end of the Île de Chalonnes. On the other side, turn right at the first crossroads, then right again at the Pressé Gohard to reach the embankment that protects the island from flooding.
(2) Once you reach the embankment, just keep going straight ahead along the road that runs alongside the arm of the Loire. A few buildings on mounds or leaning against the embankment line the route. As you approach the hamlet of Basse-Île, the road moves away from the water and runs alongside the row of houses that make up the village. As you pass, note the small Saint-Hervé Chapel, which barely stands out from the surrounding buildings.
(3) After Basse-Île, turn right to return to the water's edge and follow the embankment again to La Motte, avoiding the damage caused to the dyke by winter floods.
(4) At La Motte, leave the water's edge once again and climb up a series of hamlets. At Le Pâtis, turn right to return to the riverbank and continue through a wilder landscape that leads to the outskirts of the Pont de Chalonnes bridge.
(5) Turn right. The road changes as you approach the road that crosses the island. After no less than eight bucolic kilometres, you will have to share the road with heavy traffic. So be careful for the next three hundred metres!
(6) Unless you want to stop in Chalonnes, a small, pleasant market town, turn left immediately after the bridge and head towards the Church of Saint-Maurille, which you will see on your left as you cross the Loire. Pass the monument and return towards the town to find Rue du Vieux Pont on the left, which will take you out of the town and to the bridge over the Layon.
(7) This bridge crosses the confluence of the river and the stream, while the mouth of the Louet can be seen a little further on the left. Cross this very watery area, then leave the D751 on the right immediately after crossing.
(8) On the other side of the river, ignore the road (and the green cycle sign) that branches off to the right along the Layon, and take the beautiful slope (Montée de Pierre Couts), which climbs the first ramps of the Corniche Angevine. Alternating between steep climbs and flat sections that break your legs, this ascent is not the easiest, but what a view once you start to climb!
(9) At Croix-Brouillet, ignore the road that descends to the right and continue climbing the corniche towards a grand building that can be seen a little higher up on the ridge. The road climbing up the ridge offers a view of the two valleys that embrace the hillside: the Loire on the left and the Layon on the right. As the climb is steep, take the time to stop and enjoy the panorama.
(10) At the top of the hill, there is a raised plateau where vineyards reign supreme. On the right, you will see the two Ardenay mills, just before the village of the same name, which leads to the village's central crossroads.
(11) Take the D751 straight ahead for about 500 m, then turn left and continue to the former Malécots mining site, which is a little further on the left. This is not the most pleasant road on this stage, but it is the only option. Don't miss the reconstruction of the old mine headframe that dominates the site and the old slag heap nearby.
(12) After visiting the site, return to the D751, then continue left towards La Haie Longue. At the next crossroads, turn left onto Chemin des Roseraies and drive through the top of this former mining village.
(13) Continue until you reach the departmental road and cross it. Then pass between two beautiful buildings and continue straight ahead towards a wine-growing area above the hamlet of Les Essarts. Enjoy a magnificent view of the Loire Valley.
(14) Continue along the track that passes between the vineyards until you return to the D54. Cross it and continue opposite, letting yourself slide down the first slopes towards the Layon valley.
(15) After La Genaiserie, pass Les Barres and its many wineries. Halfway up the slope, turn left and climb up to the Moulin Guérin viewpoint, where the terrace has been fitted with an orientation table. It's beautiful, but tough going!
(16) Retrace your steps until you reach the road. Continue downhill to reach the charming village of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné.
(17) At the church, turn left onto the long, straight road that crosses the village.
(18) When the road curves to the right to cross the river, go straight ahead along the small street between two houses, which will take you out of the village. You will soon come to the old railway line, which is now a greenway. Follow this until the end of the stage. Alternating between tarmac and sandy sections, sometimes dotted with potholes, this path winds its way between the meanders of the river and the foot of the vine-covered hillside.
(19) Shortly after crossing the D209, enter the Coteaux du Pont Barré Nature Reserve. The rocky escarpment at the foot of which you are now travelling is a botanical and geological treasure trove, which can also be explored on foot. When the valley widens, you will come out onto the D160, which connects Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay and Beaulieu-sur-Layon, and Pont Barré, the end of the stage (E).
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