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Montaigu-Vendée / La Rabatelière Vendée Vélo Tour
Nature & small heritage
25,37 Km
2 h 30 min
I cycle often
25,37 km cycling route from Montaigu-Vendée to La Rabatelière
After immersing yourself in the history of the medieval town of Montaigu, the Vendée Vélo Tour leads you on to the banks of the Grande Maine River, where the old watermill containing the Maison de la Rivière invites you to take a stroll around its bucolic setting. Between Saint-Georges de-Montaigu and La Rabatelière, hamlets, little bridges, footbridges and former mills are scattered along your path. At La Rabatelière, the startling Sanctuaire de la Salette brings this stage to a fine close, at a place that strongly marked parish life from the 19th century.
Elevation of the stage
223 m 249 m
Waytypes of the stage
Cycle path: 4,93 km By road: 20,44 km
Surface of the stage
Lisse: 6,63 km Rugueux: 18,60 km Accidenté: 0,14 km
The route
Leaving from the Parc Henri Joyau, public gardens in the heart of Montaigu, head for the station making use of the cycle lane, but take care, as you share the road with motorized traffic. Next, enjoy the ride along the safe, well laid-out cycle path up to the Maison de la Rivière. From its watermill, continue up to the centre of Saint-Georges-de-Montaigu. Go around the football pitch and then carry on along quiet little roads to reach the banks of the Petite Maine River. After a short stretch along a rural track, take the signs for Chavagnes-en-Paillers, followed by La Rabatelière, riding along country roads. One spot at which to take care is the crossing of the small town of Chavagnes.
Don't miss
- Montaigu - Vendée : La Maison de la Rivière nichée au creux d'un espace naturel préservé de plus de 10 hectares, mêle culture et nature. Location de barque, jeu de piste en famille et exposition artistique sur les berges de la rivière et dans l'ancien moulin, en accès libre. (Accueil vélo)
- Chavagnes-en-Paillers, ville sainte de la Vendée : cette commune surprend par le nombre de ses clochers et bâtiments religieux. Ce patrimoine témoigne de l'installation de 2 congrégations religieuses dès le début du XIXème siècle.
- La Rabatelière :
- Le Moulin de Bel Air : en compagnie des bénévoles de l'association du Moulin de Bel Air, découvrez l'histoire du grain de blé qui devient farine dans l'un des derniers moulins à vent en fonctionnement du territoire.
- Le Sanctuaire de la Salette : aménagé sur le coteau qui domine la Petite Maine, le Sanctuaire de la Salette à La Rabatelière témoigne de la vie paroissiale au XIXème siècle. Il surprend par les matériaux employés et l'architecture développée.
- Montaigu - Vendée: La Maison de la Rivière, a converted old watermill nestling in the midst of a protected natural area (or espace naturel préservé) covering over 10 hectares, offering a mix of nature and culture. Here, you can hire a boat or follow a family treasure hunt and peruse an art exhibition extending from mill to riverside, enjoying exploring the whole place all at your own rhythm. (Accueil vélo accredited site)
- Chavagnes-en-Paillers, a holy town in the Vendée, its commune, or parish, boasting a surprising number of religious buildings and belfries, this heritage bearing witness to how two religious congregations established themselves here from the start of the 19th century.
- La Rabatelière :
- The Moulin de Bel Air: alongside volunteers working for the Association du Moulin de Bel Air, learn about how grains of wheat are turned to flour, here, in one of the last working windmills in the area.
- Sanctuaire de la Salette: built on a slope looking down on the Petite Maine River, La Salette Sanctuary at La Rabatelière recalls parish life here in the 19th century. It comes as a surprise, both in terms of the architectural design and the materials used to build it.
SNCF train stations
- Montaigu regional TER train services - line 8 (Nantes - La Roche-sur-Yon - Les Sables-d'Olonne)
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