La Loire à Vélo from Angers to Nantes

The adventure begins gently in Angers, a city where green is king. Take time to stroll through the maze of medieval streets before pushing open the doors of the château. There, like an open book on the Middle Ages, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse tells its stories in colorful threads: a marvel over 100 meters long, listed as a "Memory of the World" by UNESCO.

The first pedal strokes and already the scenery changes. You're in Bouchemaine, where the Maine embraces the Loire in a ballet of intermingling waters. The village of La Pointe seems to be winking at you, with its white tuffeau-faced bargemen's cottages. Here, time slows down and stretches out. The terrace of a guinguette is waiting to welcome you: an opportunity to enjoy the mildness of Anjou over a cool drink and a plate of local produce.

Soon, the forest gives way to sunny hillsides. Savennières reveals itself, a small town of character nestled in its own vineyard. The neatly aligned rows climb the sun-drenched slopes. Push open the door of one of the cellars: the winemaker will tell you all about his wine as if it were a family story. His Savennières, a grand cru from Anjou, reveals in your glass the mineral notes that are the very soul of this land.

A little further on, Béhuard awaits you, confetti on the water. The only commune perched on an island in the Loire, it unfurls its two square kilometers like an unspoiled treasure. Only a hundred souls live here year-round. Take a stroll through the cobbled streets, where hollyhocks converse with ancient facades. In the center, the church stands on its volcanic rock.

Back on the north shore, the port of La Possonnière opens like a window onto the river. Tourees cabanées and gabares sway gently with the currents, silent witnesses to a time when the Loire was the highway for people and goods.

When evening comes to tint the horizon, the "Accueil Vélo" accommodations open their doors all along the Loire à Vélo. Your mount will find refuge in a secure shelter while you relax in comfort designed for travelers on two wheels.

Day breaks on theIle de Chalonnes, one of Europe's largest river islands. Its fourteen kilometers stretch like a long green ribbon. Once the kingdom of tobacco and hemp, today it's home to sunflowers, corn and vines in a joyous symphony of vegetation.

The wheels turn, light on the road. Landscapes scroll by like the pages of an endless picture book. Here, a cable-stayed bridge draws its slender silhouette; there, an ancient tollgate tells the story of a Loire once controlled, never truly tamed.

The suspension bridge at Montjean-sur-Loire is an invitation to change banks. In the village, Cap Loire plunges you into the fascinating world of the bargemen. Between tales of legendary floods and reproductions, you'll feel the soul of a river and of those who have learned to live with its moods.

Then take a step up. The cobbled streets of Montjean climb up to the church, a natural belvedere offering a life-size picture: the Loire unfurls, majestic, between sandbanks and silvery reflections.

Further on, in Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, a new maze of narrow streets invites you to climb up to Mont Glonne, where the abbey offers one of the finest views of the route. Take a moment to sit on a bench, facing the river that stretches out at your feet.

As you approach Ancenis, the last few kilometers still hold a few surprises in store. The silhouette of the Ancenis bridge soon appears on your path, marking the passage from the Pays d'Anjou to La Loire-Atlantique. At the foot of the bridge, the quays line the medieval ramparts and the Renaissance dwelling of Château d'Ancenis, which has watched over the town for centuries.

This third day promises to be a symphony of change, from peaceful meanderings to urban bustle.

First stop: the medieval tower of Oudon, an octagonal watchtower that preserves the memory of the area. A little further on, from the ruins of the perched medieval citadel of Champtoceaux, you can see the horizon, where the blue of the sky blends with the green of the land and the silver of the river.

As the miles go by, the Loire widens, spreads out and takes its ease. The valley levels out, and you're now driving through market gardens. The air is even filled with the scent of iodine: the ocean is not so far away, and the tides come in here, mixing their influences with those of the river.

Take a break at the seaside pop guinguette of Mauves-sur-Loire, your first encounter with the artistic universe of the Voyage à Nantes permanent tour. With its colorful huts and wooden tables on the sand, this lively artistic installation is much more than just a place to eat.

And then, suddenly, Nantes reveals itself. The city where Jules Verne dreamed of extraordinary journeys continues to cultivate this creative fantasy. Follow the green Voyage à Nantes line painted on the ground. It will take you from one work of art to another. Here, the Great Mechanical Elephant of the Machines de l'Île transports astonished visitors; there, Buren's Rings light up the Quai des Antilles in the evening.

There's a striking contrast between these contemporary creations and the historic alleyways or the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, whose blonde stone ramparts tell the story of centuries of history. The city plays on this duality with a rare elegance.

Your adventure ends here, in this metropolis where the imagination is king. Three days of cycling to capture the changing soul of the Loire, from villages suspended in time to cities reinventing their relationship with the river.

Good to know: you can return to Angers by train with your bike (booking required). Take a seat by a window: the journey still has a few views of the river in store for you...

Want to extend your stay on the banks of the Loire?

The region offers many possibilities for continuing your journey:

• In Angers: before you leave, or on your return, treat yourself to a day at Terra Botanica, a unique park dedicated to plants in all their forms.
• On the water: take a cruise on the River Luce from the Champtoceaux slipway, or opt for a canoe trip.