Cycle Touring Across the Sarthe

Sarthe is investing in cycle tourists. Alongside the national routes, the Vélobuissonnière (250 km) and the Vallée du Loir à Vélo (320 km), there are now the Petite Reine (130 km) and the Ronde des Vallées et Forêts (185 km). It is an adventure through landscapes full of charm: the valleys of the Alpes Mancelles, the intimate rivers of the Sarthe and the Loir, and small villages with real character, plus Le Mans…

Photos: ©Sarthe Tourisme

La Vélobuissonnière

Opened at the end of 2020, La Vélobuissonnière is a cycle touring circuit of 250 km, including 37 km of greenways, that crosses two regions (Pays de la Loire and Normandy), three departments (Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire and Orne), two regional nature parks and two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Starting from Alençon, the route runs through the valleys of the Alpes Mancelles, passes through Le Mans and La Flèche, and finishes in Saumur.

Whether you ride for a few hours or several days, La Vélobuissonnière offers moments of relaxation and switching off, with family or friends, over 170 km of discovery of the cultural wealth and the great green open spaces of the Sarthe. It is a chance to explore an unusual and historic heritage, from the half-timbered houses of Le Mans’ Cité Plantagenêt to the esplanade of the Château de Saumur, not forgetting Alençon and its lace, the apothecary of Baugé and the earthenware workshops of Malicorne.

As you pass through the sublime landscapes of the Alpes Mancelles valleys, stop at Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, a village awarded the Plus Beaux Villages de France® label, meet its artists and spend a night under the stars at the  Insolites de JFK in Saint-Léonard des Bois. Everyone can punctuate the route with tastings of local food and wine and with cultural activities, such as a stop in Le Mans to discover the Cité des Plantagenêts and the unique polychrome Gallo-Roman city wall.

The route is ideal for families, with plenty of fun activities for children, who can try their hand at being artists in earthenware workshops in Malicorne-sur-Sarthe, enjoy a canoe break on the River Sarthe or at the Wake Paradise water sports centre in Spay, or visit the unmissable Zoo de La Flèche and the  domaine du Gasseau for its permaculture vegetable garden and its adventure park. Stay at La Maison du Gasseau.

Freewheeling in the Sarthe

You can also hop into the saddle to discover other nature routes in the heart of the Sarthe:

BETWEEN CHÂTEAUX AND VINEYARDS: the Vallée du Loir à Vélo – New for 2023 : 33 km of greenway have been added in the heart of the Sarthe to the Vallée du Loir à Vélo. From the Montabon railway roundhouse to Bessé-sur-Braye, the Sarthe Department opened 33 km of greenway at the end of 2022 on the Vallée du Loir à Vélo. This cycle route follows the course of the Loir in part, over a 320-kilometre itinerary from its source in Eure-et-Loir to Maine-et-Loire, and passes through picturesque villages and vineyards typical of the valley.

Not to be missed:

• Château du Lude for its terraced gardens, listed as “Jardins remarquables”, and to follow in the footsteps of the kings of France, Henri IV and Louis XIII, as well as the Marquise de Sévigné.
• The Jasnières vineyards – a 16 km wine-tourism circuit around the vines that produce this AOC white wine, with a stop at the Bacchus troglodyte cellar at Domaine Lelais, to visit the winery and taste Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir.
• The antiques village of La Chartre-sur-le-Loir 

Where to stay:

• Le Moulin de Barutel, a guesthouse with a spa in a 13^th-century mill in Mamers
• La dépendance de la Métairie in Saint-Rémy-du-Val, a green haven beside a pond

FOREST WALKS: Ronde des Vallées et Forêts  (185 km) – opened in 2022. Following the forest massifs and valleys, you will discover some of the most emblematic natural and cultural sites in the Sarthe! Starting from Le Mans cathedral, head for the south of the Sarthe, with the Bercé forest, the tuffeau stone houses and the magnificent 19th-century railway roundhouse.

Not to be missed:

• The Abbaye Royale de l’Épau on the outskirts of Le Mans, which hosts a large number of cultural events, such as the classical music festival and EuropaJazz in spring.
• The Forêt d’Exception de Bercé
• The Montabon railway roundhouse, unique in France
• The Zoo de La Flèche, one of the 5 biggest animal parks in France

Where to stay:

• Ecolodges at the Domaine de l’Épau for a break in harmony with nature