Le Thouet à vélo - pause sur un pont
Montreuil-Bellay sur La Vélo Francette
J. Damase – Maine-et-Loire
Les portes de Montreuil-Bellay
J. Damase – Maine-et-Loire

The Thouet Valley

Exploring the hidden gem of the Thouet River takes you south from the Loire Valley to the Thouet’s sources in the Poitou-Charentes Region. Enchanting heritage sites along the way include remarkable churches, as many pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela (in Spain) passed this way in medieval times.

Take your time to enjoy the unspoilt setting, with kingfishers, longicorn beetles and scarce chaser dragonflies accompanying you along the way as the landscapes shift.

Heading up the Thouet Valley from Saumur to Parthenay, you go back in history, often following the historic pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela.

The route leads you along quiet roads and country tracks, guiding you through villages towards the fine Romanesque heritage dotted around, including medieval churches, chapels, mills and bridges. 

Following the Thouet, you’ll also pass right by striking Renaissance castles, the towns of Parthenay, Thouars and Saumur, designated Villes d’Art et d’Histoire thanks to their rich heritage, plus Petites Cités de Caractère, especially delightful small historic towns or villages, that include Airvault, Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet, Le Coudray-Macouard and Montreuil-Bellay.

The tourist operation entitled ‘Open churches, welcoming churches’ encourages you to explore the mysteries of some 15 exceptional local religious edifices dating from the Romanesque period to the French Renaissance, going via the Plantagenet, or early Gothic, style.

Enjoy the magical site of Pougne-Hérisson with its festival, together with the events staged for the Jeux à Parthenay and Musiques du Monde et de l’Aborigène at Airvault (focusing on world music and aboriginal music) that punctuate the summer along the Thouet. Also look out for all manner of nature outings and the odd night-time event that incite you to get to know this land of legends even more intimately.

 

Visit the Thouet Valley

 

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Saumur / Montreuil-Bellay

15 Saumur / Montreuil-Bellay

21 km
1 h 22 min
I cycle often
La Vélo Francette leaves Saumur via a pretty greenway beside the Thouet River. Then the route adopts farm tracks and quiet country roads. Crossing villages, fields and the sloping vineyards of the Saumurois area, this stage finishes at the foot of Montreuil-Bellay, an historic fortified town on Anjou’s southern border and listed as a member of Les Plus Beaux Détours de France and a Petite Cité de caractère, given its many charms.
Montreuil-Bellay / Thouars

16 Montreuil-Bellay / Thouars

26 km
1 h 45 min
I cycle often
From Montreuil-Bellay, you descend back down to the Thouet River, heading for Thouars. The véloroute runs peacefully beside the river. La Ballastière Lake makes for a pleasant stop before you continue towards Taizon. Here, in centuries past, travellers had to pay a toll to cross the bridge. You can make out the town of Thouars on the horizon…
Thouars / Airvault

17 Thouars / Airvault

29 km
1 h 57 min
I cycle often
After visiting the historic heart of Thouars, take in the Imbert Floral Park, with its lovely terraces above the River Thouet. Leaving this Ville d’Art & d’Histoire, you can continue to appreciate to the full the charms of the Thouet’s riverbanks. As you cycle along, enjoy glimpses of waterfalls, wooded slopes and lovely historic buildings.
Airvault / Parthenay

18 Airvault / Parthenay

37 km
2 h 28 min
I cycle often
An unforgettable stage, along quiet roads. The village of Airvault, with its abbey church, covered market and underground fountain, sets the tone. Next, the moated château and village of St-Loup-sur-Thouet will surprise you. Then the Lac du Cébron provides room to relax before continuing along the Thouet, crossing via a railway viaduct to reach the haughty medieval fortified town of Parthenay.