Express

If you’re only stopping by for one night, you absolutely must visit the most impressive site in Doué-la-Fontaine, Le Mystère des Faluns, where you can get a start on understanding our underground world. The staging of this troglodyte site retraces the entire history of how this sedimentary, shelly rock was formed, from the dawn of time to the current era with all its human activity. Then, devote your evening to discovering galipettes (small stuffed, baked mushrooms) and fouaces (wood-fired rolls which you can fill with Anjou pork rillettes, mogette beans, cheese, etc.). To sample all these and more, you will have to go down into the cellars of Doué-la-Fontaine.

Essential anjou
Long weekend

3 days & 2 nights. Spend a day with your family at the Bioparc of Doué-la-Fontaine. A portion of this wildlife park is featured inside caves. Take the time to participate in the activities and feedings of the animals that are scattered throughout the day.
The next day, explore Terra Botanica, a plant-themed park outside Angers. This amusement park provides a home for thousands of plant species covering a handful of hectares. Here, you will find a variety of different landscapes including Mediterranean, tropical and semi-desert. Wind up your day with a visit to Angers, city of art and history.
Devote your last day to a magnificent museum in Baron Foullon’s old stables in Doué-la-Fontaine, Aux Anciens Commerces. The museum recreates the world of shops at the turn of the 20th century, thanks in particular to a wide variety of objects that stimulate memories and nostalgia.

Wine, roses and cave dwellings,
Short stay

Day 1 : Begin your exploration of our region’s caves by visiting Les Maisons Troglodytes de Forges. These rare examples of cave dwellings are well worth the trip. At the end of your tour, take a few steps outside of the hamlet to look for the dovecote built entirely into the rock. A regional curiosity! Continue on to Rochemenier for lunch inside a cave, where you can try our fouaces. On your way back, stop by La Cave aux Sculptures in Dénezé-sous-Doué, an amazing sculpture cave full of 15th-century protest art.

Day 2 : Continue your introduction to our region’s caves with a tour of La Sablière, a historical and artistic troglodyte site. Next, follow the heritage tour route through town to the majestic site of Le Mystère des Faluns. On your way, you will go along Rue des Perrières, where a few homes are still occupied today by the last cave-dwellers.

Day 3 : Discover the Layon Valley along the scenic route through Anjou’s wine country. It will take you 30 kilometres up the Layon, passing through gorgeous winemaking villages, all the way to the Corniche Angevine, where the Layon flows into the Loire. Take the time to stop at one of the many vineyards dotting this hillside route. Don’t hesitate to ask your campground’s personnel for advice. They will be happy to recommend wines for you to try and vineyards which are open to the public. Take advantage of this time together with the winemaker, who will undoubtedly be happy to share his or her passion for the work and love of grapevines with you.

Day 4 : In June, take the time to discover and stroll through our gardens. June is the ideal month for visiting the rose gardens at Roseraie Foullon or Les Chemins de la Rose. This is the period of the year when the emblematic flower of Doué-la-Fontaine puts its iridescent colours on full display.

Best of the region
Week

Day 1 : Take advantage of a sunny day to set off from the campground by bicycle, along a section of the Loire by Bike loop, in the direction of the troglodyte village of Rochemenier or Les Maisons Troglodytes de Forges. These rare examples of cave dwellings are well worth the trip. This part of the region is riddled with man-made cavities, and the best way to discover them is on a bicycle.

Day 2 : Travel back in time with a tour of the oldest cave site in Doué-la-Fontaine, Troglodytes et Sarcophages. As far back as the Merovingian era (5th to 8th centuries), the residents of Doué-la-Fontaine extracted falun stone to make sarcophagi. Discover why this was when you visit this amazing site. Dine in a cave in Doué-la-Fontaine, where you can appreciate galipettes and fouaces (stuffed mushrooms and rolls, respectively).

Day 3 : With your kids in tow, embark on a day of thrills and excitement at Le Puy du Fou. A wonderful day is guaranteed !

Day 4 : Set off to explore the Loire by canoe, departing from Montsoreau, for a day of relaxing and observing the wildlife along the river. Over the course of your day, you will pass through fantastic scenery. And there’s no need to wear yourself out: you can simply let the current carry you along. You will float past the town of Saumur and its château, just after Notre-Dame des Ardilliers Royal Chapel. The most amazing thing is the sensation of peace and quiet that reigns on the river. Stop wherever you like for a picnic on the shore. You can also ask about good spots for swimming. You’re sure to have a splendid time! In the evening, eat at an open-air café as you admire the sun setting over the Loire.

Day 5 : Head for Saumur and one of the most important historical sites in the history of Anjou, Fontevraud Royal Abbey. A masterpiece of religious architecture, Fontevraud is the largest fully-restored monastic complex in Europe. Set aside a good half-day for your tour. On your way back, stop by the Château de Brézé and explore the maze of underground passages beneath the monument. Return along the banks of the Loire so you can admire the cliffside caves in Turquant.

Day 6 : A lovely outing in Montreuil-Bellay, Anjou’s mediaeval town, awaits you on your last day. Wander through the streets of this town of character, dating back to the Middle Ages, and then climb to the top of its ramparts to enjoy the scenery above the Thouet. Picnic on the banks of that waterway before continuing your tour via Le Puy-Notre-Dame, in Saumur’s wine country. Stop at La Cave Vivante du Champignon in Sanziers to learn about a business which is still operational in our region today, button mushroom farming.