Randonnée "Èvre et Loire"

At Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, the "Entre Èvre et Loire" walk offers a 14.7-kilometre loop. The walk, which lasts around 3.5 hours, takes in an area where water and topography have shaped the history of Anjou.

The tour starts from the Mont-Glonne esplanade, a rocky promontory overlooking the Loire. This site is home to the abbey church, and is a defining feature of this "Petite Cité de Caractère". The site has a rich history, from the arrival of the Benedictine monks to the Vendée Wars, the memory of General Bonchamps and the writings of Julien Gracq. The architecture of the town, with its shale houses and sloping streets, bears witness to a past linked to river trade and surveillance.

Leaving the heights, the path descends to the banks of the Loire. This section offers a more intimate atmosphere. The walker follows the banks of the river through wet meadows and hedged farmland. The terrain becomes gentler and the path offers an opportunity to observe a wide variety of wildlife, including sedentary and migratory birds that find refuge in the alluvial zones. Passing by the Pont de la Vallée and the old fishermen's quarters illustrates the daily life of the past, based on the exploitation of aquatic resources.

The walk ends along the L'Evre. The path follows the banks, offering a constant view of the Evre, whose flow varies with the seasons. The return to the town takes you along paths sheltered from the sun, allowing you to appreciate the silhouette of the abbey church, which serves as a landmark.

This moderately-difficult route combines the discovery of a preserved built heritage with the observation of a variety of natural environments. Between the plateau, the Èvre valley and the bed of the Loire, the route is a synthesis of the landscapes of the Mauges.