Things to see and do Pays De La Loire

Nestled against the church, a th century building houses the Cité des Métiers de Tradition. In this place over time, a team of volunteers gathered a collection of tools and machines representative of the trades of the past. You farriers, bayberries, saddlers, potters… the City evokes about thirty business lines, forming a small village of close to 3 000 m 2. The visitor will be able to dream in front of measure dresses and hats, stroll on the shopping street or remember his childhood in front of school desks. Besides the collection, buildings and structures remain the impressive witnesses of still living know-how.

Place of information and exhibitions on the life of the river and the Mauges, the walking or mountain biking circuits. This body dedicated to the development of the territory has published documents that will lead you to the roads and roads of the:: through towns and villages (EUR 12): 2 volumes to succumb to the charms of these small towns; thematic guides to travel through the country of walking trees: Loire and Bocage, in the footsteps of faith, materials to walk, the circuit of trades, the paths of history and for the followers of the little queen: Le and Mauges mountain bike (6 euros) and Mauges (3 euros).

They are twenty-eight, churches or chapels, to open their doors to the visitor. In each of them, a visit document presents the history of the sites, details the most important elements and a particular theme close to the building. The closest to them, from Saint-Florent-le-Vieux: The Mesnil-en-Vallée (church Notre-Dame and Notre-Dame chapel open every day from 8 a. m. to 19 p. m.), Montjean-sur-Loire (Saint-Symphorien church open every day from 9 a. m. to 17 p. m., Chapel Saint-Aubin, contact the Tourist Office), La Varenne-sur-Loire (Saint-Pierre church open every day) from 10 p. m. to 20 p. m., Le Pin-en-Mauges (Saint-Pavin church open daily from 9 a. m. to 18 p. m.).

Gerbetière is a noble house whose name comes from gerbernate, which used to name a place where the blades were stored and located just near the house. John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a multi-disciplinary man, both painter, scholar, scholar, poet and adventurer. Naturalist and famous animal artist, he spent his youth in Couëron. Its childhood home, La Gerbetière, is visible in the street that bears its name. Until 1821, she appeared on the Audubon family before being bought by the mayor of Couëron in 2003. The stay is only on the Heritage Days.

Dug in 1923, this large artificial canal is located on 2 km by a walk of poplar. At its end, you reach the marshes, with a beautiful view over the whole Loire. The valley of Musse was submerged by the Loire only during large tides in winter. On the other side, the silhouette of the abbey of Buzay is drawing.

It covers 3 000 m 2 and has 180 varieties of saved apples in memory. It grows to welcome pear.

This wood sardinizer, equipped with the conventional trawl, is the precursor of deep water trawlers. Built in 1964, this 24-barrel boat sailed at sea until 1992 and today is the living memory of fishing at La Turballe. Saved from destruction by passionate people, he discovered himself in the harbor, afloat. His visit (45 minutes) shows the hard life on board where any notion of comfort is banished: small space, thin mattress on the sleeves, square where the men of the sea were restored 1.20 m high… The time for a visit, become the sailor on the edge. A unique visit to discover the fishing techniques practiced, the work of the sailors of the position before the crew post and the cooler and explore the different compartments of the boat. You will be able to follow the different times of a fishing season. A good family visit.

In Maine-et-Loire, the objective of welcoming churches is to discover this part of the religious heritage. The churches involved facilitate access to the building (open door or key to be recovered from a neighbour), make available a document on history and architecture and improve the presentation (for example, musical lighting or background). Northern Churches Saumurois which are part of the network: The church Saint-Doucelin in Allonnes, Notre-Dame church in Blou, the Saint-Maurille church in Brain-sur-Allonnes. Information: 02 41 52 87 40. Saumurois Tourism Office at Brain-sur-Allonnes.

Leisure centre where you can spend a pleasant day to play tennis,  mini-golf, swim or fish...

Built in the th century, this church is crowned with one of the curiosities of the region: the balls-twisted, whose arrows, instead of straight point to the clouds, offer amazing twists. One does not end up wondering about the origin of these forms: wood distortion, human will… or maléfices? It even says that, on the occasion of the marriage of two twin twins with two twin brothers, a curious inversion would have occurred, causing movement on the parochial left of the bell. You can choose the version that best suits you… after you are on the spot. This steeple is one of the five clochers twisted in the region, all within a radius of 10 km: Fougeré, Mouliherne, Pontigné, Old-Baugé.

François David and Olivier Leconte thrive on a large vineyard completely converted to organic production and put some of the jewels of winemaking wine in Anjou in white Anjou, Anjou-villages, rosé, both dry and soft.

Built in the th century, it is one of the oldest castles of France, one of the examples of the country's best preserved carolingian architecture, and was thus logically promoted Archaeological Site of national interest. Pelle and draws do not stop handing over the secrets of the castle like these 9 cavities, dug in the ground and corresponding to the traces of an earlier wooden building built on a pile of piles. A few years ago, an underground room for the th or th centuries was updated. Meanwhile, the castle does not visit.

Near the tourist office, electric boats without permits are waiting for walkers who wish to turn a round on Mayenne. Blue Ribbon boats are planned for 4 or 5 people. You can take it only for a maximum of 8 hours, allowing you to spend twelve locks, or 28,60 km and reach Montgiroux.

With its bandstand, theatre and music school, it is a real place of culture. Between old stone and green, one of the quietest places of the city, which gives on a beautiful panorama: above the walls, the view plunges over Mayenne and the left bank of the city.