Greenway Ambrières-les-Vallées / La Chapelle-Anthenaise
Coming from the Orne in southern Normandy, join a 40km stretch of former railway line north of Ambrières-les-Vallées (a pretty village with three rivers running through it), at the place named La Boufferie. This greenway is well-surfaced, with a vélorail (a portion of former railway track tourists can now go along on specially adapted railway carts) running alongside it for a few kilometres. Crossing La Rosserie Viaduct, enjoy the views over the Mayenne River.
The route
Take particular care crossing the following roads: the D 23 just before Ambrières-les-Vallées; the N 12 a bit before Mayenne-town; the D 24 at the level of Commer.
Note the narrow stretch at the level of St-Loup-du-Gast, due to having to share the route with the vélorail. Look out for the educational panels along the stretch shared with the vélorail.
Leaving the greenway in Mayenne-town, the way is signposted for you to join the towpath easily –follow the signs for the Chemin de halage de la Mayenne. If you wish to head for Mayenne town centre, follow the signs indicating office de tourisme / halte fluviale. Otherwise, continue to La Chapelle-Anthenaise, the end point of this particular greenway.
There are kilometre markers along the greenway.
Picnic tables are set up along the way.
Accessing starting points along the greenway
Gradients and elevation
Road types
Surface
Don’t miss
- Ambrières-les-Vallées: Musée des Tisserands (Weavers’ Museum), 02 43 04 96 19; Vaux outdoor sports and leisure centre, 02 43 04 90 25
- St-Loup du Gast : vélorail (a former railway track tourists can travel along on specially adapted little railway carts) 02 43 00 80 61 -
- Saint Fraimbault de Prières : Les Roues Vertes (for hiring bikes and adapted railway carts for the vélorail…), 06 15 56 56 72
- Ville de Mayenne: castle museum 02 43 00 17 17; the Chapelle des Calvairiennes; Notre-Dame Basilica; river-boating 02 43 04 19 38; the Mémorial des Déportés de la Mayenne (dedicated to those deported from the county of Mayenne in the Second World War) 02 43 08 87 35
