Site classé Le Verrou du Val de Loire

Exceptional panoramic views, vineyard hillsides and a remarkable heritage all come together on this pretty stretch of the Loire, just 20 minutes from Nantes.

Near Nantes, the Loire enters a lock between two rocky promontories, marking the boundary between the Val de Loire and the Loire estuary. This lock, covering an area of around 1,400 hectares, stretches across the municipalities of Le Cellier and Oudon in Loire-Atlantique and Orée d'Anjou in Maine-et-Loire.

The Verrou du Val de Loire is home to a number of unique sites that bear witness to the area's rich heritage and history, as well as offering remarkable views and panoramas over the Loire and its valley.

Represented by some of the greatest painters of the Loire, including William Turner, this area is punctuated by some very special places. The Champtoceaux citadel and tollgate, the Oudon tower, the chapel of Saint Méen, the Champalud promenade, the villages of Patache and Bridonnière, the wine-growing hillsides of Galloire, Oudon and Génaudières. They bear witness to the rich heritage and history of the area, but also to the skills
the skills required to work with the river and its environment.

Take a stroll along the Champalud site and discover an exceptional panorama of the Loire and the remains of the citadel, a reminder of medieval times. On the other bank, take in the Tour d'Oudon, once an important defensive element on the marches of Brittany. A little further on, the Folies Siffait garden will amaze you with its unusual architecture and incredible view over the river. Nearby is the Chapelle Saint-Méen in the village of the same name, bearing witness to its founding saint and a former priory.

The slopes of the vineyards punctuate this magnificent landscape. Discover Malvoisie, a tasty and unique semi-dry white wine produced by our passionate winegrowers. From the Domaine des Génaudières or the Domaine des Galloires, enjoy a panoramic view of the river and its surroundings.

Classification is a Ministry of the Environment procedure that ensures the recognition and protection of outstanding landscape sites on a national scale. Council of State decree dated 1 December 2023.