The surroundings

What to do between Angers and Saumur

Banks of the Loire, tuffeau villages, castles and troglodytic sites, just a few minutes from La Gauvenière, in Maine-et-Loire .

Green line drawing of three leaves carried by the wind.

Around the estate

The Loire Valley is just a stone's throw away

The center is located in Saint-Georges-des-Sept-Voies, in Anjou, 25 minutes from Saumur and Angers. Around the estate, the Loire, the vineyard slopes and the tuffeau villages can be explored on foot or on horseback, between two days of training or during a family stay.

25 minutes from Saumur and Angers
The Loire River is very close
Hiking trails all around
Loire Valley, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Saumur

Fontevraud

Angers

Very close to the estate

A visit that takes just a few minutes

Three outings to do as a neighbor, between two training sessions or an afternoon of stay.

Jacques Warminski's Earth Helix, a sculpture carved from tufa stone

In the municipality

The Earth's helix

A monumental sculpture by Jacques Warminski, carved into the rock of a troglodytic village and sculpted in the open air. Exhibitions and concerts are programmed there during the season.
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Barge moored on the banks of the Loire at Thoureil

Loire Riverbank

Le Thoureil

On the south bank of the Loire, its tufa stone houses and traditional boats stretch between the slipways and the hillside. The village has been awarded the "Petite Cité de Caractère" (Small Town of Character) label.
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Dolmen of La Bajoulière, large stone slabs placed in a meadow

Prehistory

The Bajoulière dolmen

A megalith belonging to the Angevin dolmen group, built in the 4th millennium BC. Its large chamber of 40 m² was covered with a slab weighing approximately seventy tons.

Green line drawing of a vine branch with its leaves and tendrils.

Blaison Castle and its round towers, in Blaison-Gohier

Villages and paths

Blaison-Gohier and hiking

On a hillside planted with vines, Blaison developed around a castle and a collegiate church, both documented as early as the 11th century. Its narrow streets lead to former canons' houses and the homes of notables, and its hamlets line up picturesque houses and cellars carved into the tufa.

All around, the hiking trails cross varied landscapes, above the Loire, between vineyards, orchards, fields and forests, and connect villages steeped in history.
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A little further on

The must-sees of Anjou

Saumur The castle, the Ackerman and Bouvet Ladubay cellars, the mushroom farms and the fouées, 25 minutes away.
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Doué-la-FontaineThe troglodyte sites, the zoo and the Chemins de la Rose rose garden.
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Fontevraud The royal abbey, its Romanesque kitchen and its monastic buildings.
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Angers The castle and the Apocalypse tapestry, the Jean-Lurçat museum and Terra Botanica, 25 minutes away.
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Photos of the surrounding area from Wikimedia Commons, Le Thoureil, Gerd Eichmann , gabare, GO69 , terrestrial propeller, Hélice Terrestre , dolmen, Emmanuel Brunner , Blaison, Sémhur , Saumur, W. Bulach , Saumur et la Loire, Martin Falbisoner , Fontevraud, JackyM59 , Angers, JackyM59 , under CC BY-SA and CC licenses BY.

Saumur castle above the town, reflected in the Loire

Frequently Asked Questions

The surrounding area in question

Distances, visits and outings: what you need to know to discover the region during your stay.

How far apart are Saumur and Angers?

The center is located in Saint-Georges-des-Sept-Voies, in the commune of Gennes-Val-de-Loire, a 25-minute drive from both Saumur and Angers. From Paris, the TGV high-speed train reaches Angers Saint-Laud station in 1 hour and 20 minutes, and a shuttle bus can then take you to the estate.

What to visit near La Gauvenière?

Very close to the estate are the Terrestrial Helix, a monumental sculpture carved into the tufa stone, the village of Thoureil on the banks of the Loire, the Bajoulière dolmen, and the village of Blaison-Gohier. A little further afield are the Château de Saumur, the Fontevraud Abbey, and the Château d'Angers.

Is it possible to go hiking around the estate?

Yes. The paths cross varied landscapes, above the Loire, between vineyards, orchards, fields and forests, and connect several villages steeped in history. They can be traveled on foot or on horseback.

What to do with a group between two days of training?

A stroll to the banks of the Loire at Thoureil, a visit to the land helix or a cellar in Saumur, or simply a moment in the estate's heated indoor pool and a massage by reservation.

What to do when it rains?

The estate's indoor pool is heated to 28°C all year round. Nearby, the Saumur wine cellars, Fontevraud Abbey, and Angers Castle, with its Apocalypse Tapestry, offer wonderful outdoor excursions.