Angers / Bouchemaine / St-Mathurin
La Vélo Francette shares the way with the Loire à Vélo cycle route for some way from Angers eastwards, leading you out of the city via the Maine River and the Lac de Maine, with its green surrounds. At the village of Bouchemaine, at the confluence of Maine and Loire, you might try one of the restaurants on the quays. Most of this stage is along traffic-free tracks up to La Daguenière, then you join quiet roads up to St-Mathurin-sur-Loire.
Gradients and elevation
Slope breakdown
Road types
- Cycle path
- Routes reserved for cyclists and pedestrians (greenways, cycle tracks, towpaths), separated from cars for maximum safety.
- Shared road
- Quiet minor roads with little traffic (unless otherwise stated in the stage details). Shared with cars (stay alert).
- Not specified
- Data unavailable or being assessed. Please refer to the detailed stage description.
- Provisional
- Section on a road or cycle path awaiting better-quality facilities (see stage details).
Surface
- Smooth
- Asphalt, tarmac or smooth concrete. Optimal comfort.
- Rough
- Fine gravel, compacted stabilised surface or worn tarmac. Less comfortable, vibrations possible.
- Natural
- Dirt, grass, roots or stones. Under 5%: short sections with little impact. Higher percentage: route suited to mountain or gravel bikes only.
- Not specified
- Data unavailable or being assessed. Please refer to the detailed stage description.
Cycle route
From Angers, follow signs indicating « Vers La Loire à Vélo par Bouchemaine ». From Bouchemaine, use the Loire à Vélo signs.
Link to the Layon Aubance cycle route at the level of Les Ponts-de-Cé.
Tourist offices
SNCF train services
Angers train station: TGV high-speed services and TER regional services, line 5 Nantes > Angers > Tours > Orléans
St-Mathurin-sur-Loire train station: TER regional services, line 19 Angers > Saumur > Tours
www.ter.sncf.com/pays-de-la-loire
Ferry
Take care as you need to operate the chain ferry over the Authion yourself and be aware that it is only operational from April to the start of November. When the ferry cannot be used, follow the signs for the alternative route.
Don’t miss
Angers: château and medieval Apocalypse Tapestries; Musée de la Tapisserie Contemporaine Jean-Lurçat; Musée des Beaux-Arts; Collégiale Saint-Martin, turned into a museum of religious artefacts; Terra Botanica (park on the theme of plants); river port
Bouchemaine: the quays along the Maine, leading to the river’s estuary with the Loire
Ste-Gemmes-sur-Loire: the Ile aux Chevaux island, with its protected environment, and two gardens, the Jardin du Presbytère and Jardin Méditerranéen
Les Ponts-de-Cé: the castle keep
St-Mathurin-sur-Loire: Maison de Loire en Anjou, presenting the Loire in Anjou, its flora, fauna and people
