Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Petite Cité de Caractère®

The Petite Cité de Caractère® of Saint-Florent-le-Vieil seems to rest on the banks of the Loire. At the top of Mont-Glonne, the Maurist Abbey dominates the town and keeps a peaceful watch over the surrounding area. The softness of Anjou described by Joachim du Bellay takes on its full meaning her...

Saint-Florent-le-Vieil is one of Anjou's most historic sites!

The ensemble formed by the Mont-Glonne promontory, the banks of the Loire and the mouth of the Èvre has been listed since December 2023. A great reward for this natural heritage site.

Its rich architectural heritage, with its many historic monuments, makes it an ideal place for lovers of "old stones". Listed as a Petite Cité de Caractère®, the town offers a maze of small, steep streets, all leading to the summit of Mont-Glonne, which dominates the town and overlooks the royal river that flows at its feet.

It was here in the 4th century that monks, led by the hermit Saint Florent, decided to build an abbey. A true architectural masterpiece, it is a jewel of elegance and sobriety for the town. The abbey church, the cornerstone of this monastic complex, contains the white marble tomb of a famous Vendée general, Bonchamps. Saint-Florent-le-Vieil was also one of the 32 walled towns of Anjou, the remains of which, with its ramparts and winding streets, were built in the 11th century by Geoffroy II d'Anjou, son of Foulques Nerra.

Just outside the church, the forecourt, with its exceptional panoramic view over the Loire, was the starting point for the Vendée Wars.

In Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, you can :
- take a cruise on the Loire with a professional fisherman
- stroll through the narrow streets of the Petite Cité de Caractère® (small town of character)
- admire the panoramic view of the Loire from the esplanade
- hike along the royal river
- set off on a loop on La Loire à Vélo
- or have lunch on the banks of the Loire