The Mayenne Valley by bike

174 km from Domfront to Angers on La Vélo Francette

This section of the cycle route La Vélo Francette takes you beside no less than four rivers: the Varenne, Mayenne, Oudon and Maine. This cascading series of rivers leads you, via various confluences, towards France’s most regal river, the Loire. Cyclists enjoy a panoply of northwest France’s riverbanks this way, along with happy hikers, riders, and people out angling and boating.

Sébastien Gaudard - Anjou Tourisme

Through charming towns and villages

From Laval to Angers, the River Mayenne has some wonderful surprises in store for you. Starting and ending in two towns classified as “Towns of Art and History”, this route takes in no fewer than three villages awarded the “Charming Villages” label, such as Grez Neuville, founded in the 9th century, and Chenillé/Changé, renowned for its schist stone monuments that blend perfectly with the natural surroundings.
Along the way, you can also enjoy the tranquil river setting of Château-Gontier, a charming medieval town listed among the “Most Beautiful Detours in France”.

Pascal Beltrami – La Vélo Francette®

The quintessential canal atmosphere

Flower-bedecked locks, riverside cafés, fishermen by the river, small villages on the water’s edge…The charm takes hold very quickly along this green valley, sheltered from traffic, surrounded by lush nature and bathed in soothing tranquillity.

Don’t forget to look up to admire the beautiful bourgeois mansions perched above the Mayenne!

Sébastien Gaudard - Anjou Tourisme

Exploring the river in a different way

The Mayenne River’s characteristics make it an ideal playground. All along the route, numerous leisure centres welcome you from April to September, offering unique experiences: stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking, paintball, tree-top adventure courses, water skiing, electric boat hire (no licence required), and more. So many activities available to help you discover the Mayenne from a different angle!

L’île Saint-Aubin : un îlot préservé aux portes d’Angers

Mathieu Genon - Anjou Tourisme

Île Saint-Aubin: a preserved islet on the outskirts of Angers

Located just a few minutes from Angers city centre, Île Saint-Aubin is one of a kind. A truly unspoilt environment, the island is accessible by bike via a chain ferry from April to November and offers a wide range of activities to enjoy as a couple, with family or with friends: nature trails, exhibitions, shows, tastings… a vast choice of activities to brighten up your days and evenings. After your tour of the island, stop off at the Café du Port, the destination’s must-visit meeting place!

Map of the cycle route

9 Laval / Château-Gontier

35 km

2 h 19 min

I begin

The start of this stage affords fine views of the town of Laval and its two châteaux. The nine-arched railway viaduct here also has a footbridge open to cyclists, and links the Mayenne River’s east bank to Laval’s town centre and its river port. South of Laval, admire the well-known Abbaye du Port Salut (historically connected with popular Port-Salut cheese) before discovering more of the natural beauty of the Mayenne River.

10 Château-Gontier / Le Lion-d'Angers

34 km

2 h 17 min

I begin

Travelling along the Mayenne Valley, each meander reveals new delights to spur you on, with a château here and a mill there, or then a waterside village with a river port. Before the town of Le Lion-d’Angers, you’ll get a notion of the importance of the equestrian professions around here as you pass the Domaine de l’Isle-Briand, home to a world-class national stud farm that hosts equestrian events.

11 Le Lion-d'Angers / Angers

29 km

2 h 01 min

I begin

After the picture-postcard equestrian grounds at L’Isle Briand, with its château and national stud farm, plus the Mayenne and Oudon confluence, you cross the low-lying ends of several river valleys that form one of the most exceptional areas of wetland in Europe, going right up to Angers, a famed historic Plantagenet city. Up to that town’s Pont Jean Moulin bridge, the rural atmosphere remains almost untouched.