Gourmet itineraries in Pays de la Loire

Cycling in the Nantes vineyards

3 days (2 nights) - 107 km by bike from Nantes

Would you like to discover the vineyards as a couple or with friends in an original way? This itinerary in the heart of the Nantes vineyards should meet all your expectations. Your first stop by bike will take you to the Domaine des Herbauges. You'll have the chance to chat with a winemaker who is also known as the largest producer of Muscadet, having converted to sustainable agriculture over 30 years ago. Along the way, you'll cycle past the splendid Lac de Grand-Lieu, an ornithological reserve offering birdwatching opportunities in all seasons. It's also a great opportunity to visit the abbey church of St-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu before arriving at one of the rural gîtes on the Aux Saveurs du Potager farm in La Limouzinière. An old stone cocoon with all modern comforts, and fresh garden vegetables for direct sale!

Your 2nd day will also be devoted to discovering the region, with two stopovers: a visit to Domaine Ménard Gaborit, where you'll learn all about élevage sur lie, and lunch at La Gaillotière, where you'll feast on local produce accompanied by the region's finest wines. To round off this wonderful day of bike touring, you'll spend the rest of the day in a 19th-century English park at Logis du Hallay.
Your final morning will be an opportunity to cycle back to Nantes, enjoying the banks of the Sèvre nantaise.

Your itinerary:

DAY 1 - 54 km: cycle route from Nantes to Bouaye, then roads to St-Philbert-de-Grandlieu and La Limouzinière DAY 2 - 43 km: road itinerary. DAY 3 - 18 km: road route then greenway between Vertou and Nantes.

The charms of Anjou by bike

3 days (2 nights) - 85 km by bike from Chalonnes-sur-Loire, on greenways and shared roads, medium difficulty.

Looking for a dynamic weekend with friends, focused on discovering Anjou's terroir? Your escapade begins with a marvellous journey through the meandering Layon Valley, before stopping off at Domaine FL. Here, you can choose between a commented and illustrated tasting tour of 5 wines of your choice: Savennières, Anjou, Roche aux Moines, Layon and Chaume. Lunch is served in an unusual setting at Terrasses de Bonnezeaux, a restaurant located in a former railway station in the heart of the vineyards. Once you've arrived in Thouarcé, you can head straight back to your bed & breakfast, Le Clos des 3 Rois, in a former notary's house, or take another cellar tour at Château de la Viaudière.

Your second day will be just as convivial, alternating between the green bike path and wine tours. White or red? Domaine de Bablut will seduce you with the variety of its bottles! And what could be better than a stopover at a guinguette at the Pointe de Bouchemaine to have some fun with friends? After a good night's rest at Chambres du Moulin, with its menu highlighting local produce, you'll be ready for the last 15 kilometers of your 3rd day in Maine-et-Loire.

Your itinerary:

DAY 1 - 35 km: partly greenway route to Thouarcé. DAY 2 - 35 km: part greenway. DAY 3 - 15 km on the Loire à Vélo itinerary.

Gourmet itinerary in Mayenne

2 days (2 nights) - 158 km by car from Mayenne

Do you want to see as much of Mayenne as possible in two days? If you're curious, gourmet and enjoy city-trips with friends, you'll love this itinerary criss-crossing this beautiful Pays de la Loire department.

The first day will be rich in discovery, with a visit to the town of Mayenne and its château. After this cultural moment, you'll move on to local culinary experiences: first at the restaurant La Carotte, which sublimates local produce, then at the Brasserie de l'Arborescence, where the brewmaster will let you taste his organic beers, brewed and bottled on site. In the evening, it's a pleasure to reminisce about the good times we've spent together at the Gîte de Longuève, a renovated barn in the heart of an organic farm.

The pleasures of local produce will continue, as will the miles on the odometer! Visit L'Asinerie du Bois Gamats (don't leave without your donkey's milk soap), taste a fruity, local lager at Brasserie de l'Oudon, dine on local farm produce at café-restaurant Le Beyel at the maison éclusière de la Bénâtre... And the delight doesn't stop there: at La Préhouillère, will you succumb to a night in a converted barrel, a half-trunk cabin or a Finnish kota?

Your itinerary :

DAY 1 - 36 km DAY 2 - 122 km

With the family in the Sarthe countryside

2 days (2 nights) - 225 km by car from Villaines-la-Gonais

The countryside, animals, farms... enough to satisfy your junior's insatiable curiosity! As soon as you leave the freeway, you're whisked off on an amazing safari to Ferme de la Haie, where you'll observe deer and hinds. Does your child prefer cows? Don't worry, the farmers at Les Deux Sabots will share their secrets of good milk with you at the heart of their cattle farm. And why not try a coffee break with hot milk in the middle of the fields? At the end of the afternoon, before relaxing in your gîte in a winegrower's house, the Pelletier cider distillery opens its doors to you for a local aperitif.

Your second day will be devoted to the Vallée du Loir, its small villages and its know-how. Are you familiar with apple growing? Visit the Ferme des Quantières and learn all you need to know about growing pome fruit trees. Then it's time to stretch your legs at the Ferme équestre des Bleuets. If the kids opt for a horseback ride along the edge of a pretty forest, the grown-ups may well want to pick blueberries. For your 2nd night in the Sarthe region, dare to live the western life by staying at La Valise à cheval. Saloon atmosphere and a night in the sheriff's jail... Sarthe has something to amaze you!

Your itinerary

DAY 1 - 80 km DAY 2 - 110 km (including 36 km on the A28 freeway)

Vendée: a day from vine to sea

1 day - 33 km by bike or car - easy

Nature and local produce are on the agenda for this relaxing day. It's up to you to decide whether you prefer a gentle bike ride to make the most of every moment... or whether you prefer the car to spend more time at each stop.

L'Ile d'Olonne will be your starting point, with a first stop at Domaine Saint Nicolas, run by independent, organic winegrowers. They offer a range of workshops based around local products: wines, of course, but also cheeses and chocolate! In the surrounding marshes, discover the life of the salt marshes and admire the donkeys on the embankments! In Brem-sur-Mer, an exceptional lunch awaits you at the Michelin-starred Les Genêts. And there's nothing like a stroll between vineyards and sea at Domaine Éric Sage to completely disconnect you from your daily routine. Then, at your leisure, visit villages, enjoy the beaches or treat yourself to an oyster tasting at Saint-Martin de Brem.

Loire à vélo... Loire gourmande!

3 days (2 nights) - 65 km by bike from Nantes

The Loire is a wild river that can be discovered by bike from its banks! For two days, cycle up the Loire from Nantes to Loireauxence along the now-famous La Loire à Vélo itinerary. It's a program that will appeal to families with children over 10 years of age, or to active tribes!

Just outside Nantes, you're ready for your first tasting of the famous Melon de Bourgogne at Vignoble Marchais in Thouaré-sur-Loire. The colorful cabins of Mauves Balnéaire are the ideal setting for an open-air picnic, before cycling along the Muscadet hillsides to the Champtoceaux landing stage. Then board the Bateau La Luce for an excursion on the Loire!

After a good night's sleep at the comfortable Hotel Champalud in Orée d'Anjou, you're ready to discover the beauties of Ancenis before experiencing a new escapade on the water aboard a traditional Vent d'Soulair toue. Your night in the countryside at Camping Écoloire in Loirauxence will be a restful one.

On your last day, you'll cycle ten kilometers to the train that will take you back to Nantes. Savor these last moments with your family before your next escapade in Pays de la Loire!

Your itinerary

DAY 1 - 30 km by bike DAY 2 - 24 km by bike DAY 3 - 11 km by bike