NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE & LOIRE VALLEY REGIONS
Places to Visit & Things To Do
WINE TASTING:
Food / Wine tasting is available by prior arrangement – please ask for more details.
SPECIAL INTEREST:
Short breaks can also be arranged on request. Please ask Eve or Erica for more details.
Within 30 minutes from Cersay
Cersay
L’Atelier d’Acryle
Imaginary cutlery & magic wand sculpture
This workshop nestled in Cersay in the Deux-Sèvres region smells of wood, steel, and fire. Among other things, you will find handmade knives, magic wands, billhooks, and swords.
In addition to their products, they offer introductory blacksmithing classes and regularly attend events to give blacksmithing demonstrations and hold magic wand customization workshops. Just two minutes from Gites Floreal!
Doué la Fontaine
This pretty little town is the rose capital of France and there is a selection of beautiful gardens to stroll round. Les Chemins de la Rose is a very English garden with over 1000 varieties of rose. There is even a rose distillery.
The town is also the home to a number of troglodyte-themed attractions – the tunnels and caves have been left behind following the historic mining of the local tuffeau limestone. Le Mystère des Faluns provides an animated and illuminated trail through the caves and is open from February 8th through November 2nd.
The Bioparc is a lovely zoo that houses more than 2000 animals in an unusual setting with an emphasis on protecting endangered species. It is possibly the world’s only troglodyte zoo! The park is open every day from February 8th to November 11th, and during the Christmas holidays. Visit website
Montreuil Bellay
This beautiful medieval riverside town has an impressive château, ramparts and fortified gates. Entrance to the château includes a guided tour and there are lovely views from the ramparts. It even has its own vineyard so you can end your visit with a tasting of the local wines. Open April 2nd to November 2nd and December 26th to the 30th.
The town hosts a number of events throughout the year, including a monthly antiques fair and an impressive medieval festival held in May.
A number of excellent restaurants can be found either in the medieval town or along the river.
Argenton-les-Vallées
The internationally-renowned Go Karting circuit at Argenton-les-Vallées plays host to a number of national and international events, as well as being open to the public. Youth sessions (7 to 14 years old) cost 14 euros and adult sessions (age 14 and up) cost 18 euros. Two-hour workshops are also available.
Lac d’Hautibus offers a stunning backdrop for a walk. There is also a small playground, as well as fishing and canoes / pedalos in the high season. Le Lac Bar and Restaurant overlooking the lake is a lovely spot for a meal or drink. The restaurant is open for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday and for dinner from Thursday to Saturday.
Parc Oriental at Maulévrier
Within 1 hour
Puy du Fou
Puy du Fou is one of France’s top tourist attractions. It offers a wide variety of fabulous shows and displays all with a different historical theme. In addition, there is a spectacular night-time show that traces the history of the Vendée region. This is definitely a ‘must see’ for visitors to the area.
Visit website
Terra Botanica
Terra Botanica, on the outskirts of Angers, is Europe’s first theme park dedicated to plants. Discover the world through the 300,000 plant species, from giant greenhouses to lush gardens, paddy fields to marshes, generous kitchen gardens to dark primary forests, Mediterranean scenery to Oriental lands, and set off for an unusual and colorful adventure! A world of exploration and discoveries through a variety of different attractions await the whole family. There is an elevated pedal monorail that lifts you above the tree canopy, there are exciting 4D CGI movies that show the water cycle from the perspective of a water droplet or take you on a journey into a dinosaur reserve, and a hot air balloon can take you 150 meters into the sky to get a bird’s eye view of Terra Botanica, the lower Anjou valleys and the Maine-et-Loire region. Visit website
Saumur
This is a very beautiful town situated on the Loire river. There are numerous things to keep you entertained and it plays host to a wide variety of events and festivals. The quayside is an excellent place to take a boat trip to admire the river or the tourist train which departs from outside the tourist information. There are lots of lovely shops, restaurants and a market which offers lots of local produce, especially on a Saturday. In September, the Saumur Farmers’ Market comes alive with an abundance of fresh, seasonal produce, artisanal cheeses, local wines, and handcrafted goods.
The château situated high above the town offers amazing views of the river and surrounding countryside – there is a good viewpoint adjacent to the château if you just want to admire the view.
The Combier Distillery (located in the town center) offers guided tours, and there are many winery tours available, including the Caves Louis de Grenelle, Ackerman and Langlois Crémant de Loire.
Some other interesting attractions in Saumur include the Musée des Blindés (one of the world’s top tank museums), Pierre et Lumière (an underground troglodyte site with impressive sculptures), the Musée du Champignon, with 250 mushroom species (largest mushroom collection in Europe!), and there three other mushroom-growing caves within touching distance of Saumur. There is also the Cadre Noir (the French Horse & Riding Institute, inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list), which offers tours of its facilities as well as regular events showcasing the skills of the elite horsemen, and the Saumur Cavalry Museum, a must-see for fans of military history, heritage and horse riding.
You can also enjoy year-round hot-air balloon rides to see Saumur and the Loire Valley from the sky.
Visiting in the winter months? Take a look at this guide with tips + things to do during the off season.
It is worth a drive along the river in either direction from Saumur as there are some beautiful villages to explore. If you head north-west towards Angers, you will come across a selection of wine houses in St Hilaire (Veuve Amiot, Bouvet Ladubay and Ackermann), the gardens of Puygirault, the Château d’Angers and the Apocalypse Tapestry (the oldest and largest narrative tapestry in the world), held in a display area in castle. There are several museums, including Musée Jean-Lurçat and Musée des Beaux-Arts, and the 15th-century Maison d’Adam. If you travel in the opposite direction, you will pass by the vineyard of Gratien & Meyer who, as well as doing cellar tours, also host excellent jazz nights during the summer. You then pass through the villages of Turquant, a pretty artists’ village with a variety of galleries, and Montsoreau, where there is a monthly antiques fair.
Angers
Angers is a lovely city to visit with its château and lots of individuals shops and restaurants. The little tourist train explores both sides of the river and gives you an insight into history of the city.
Within 90 minutes from Cersay
Futuroscope
Futuroscope, located just outside Poitiers, is a theme park based on multimedia and innovative cinematic, audio-visual and robotic techniques. It has several 3D / 4D cinemas along with over 40 other attractions and shows, some of which are the only examples in the world. It allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of Jules Verne and relive his voyage around the world. As with Puy du Fou, it is impossible to see everything in one day.
Nantes
Nantes is a lovely large city set on the river Loire. Follow the green line to explore all that the city has to offer. Les Machines de l’’Île is an absolute must see – fantastical animatronic creations inspired by Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci, brought to life by artist François Delaroziere. Highlights include the towering Grand Éléphant, the marine-themed Carrousel des Mondes Marins and the climbable Arbre aux Hérons. The Galerie des Machines showcases more interactive sculptures and their designs.
Within 2 hours
Coastal visits
The coast is around 2 hours away depending where you go, but it is definitely well worth making the effort. There are some beautiful beaches, islands and villages to visit. Some of our favorites include:
Île d’Oleron and Île de Ré, both accessed via a bridge, are quite large with lovely beaches and pretty places for a stroll. Île d’Aix (located between the two) is a magical small island reached by boat from Fouras. You can easily spend a day there with lovely walks, bars and shops. It even has its own brewery!
The fortified village of Brouage houses a variety of shops, bars and restaurants all within the interesting ramparts. It is very popular in the summer months.
Pornic is a pretty fishing village, 30 minutes from Nantes. There is a nice walk along the creek out to the beach and harbor. There are lots of bars and restaurants – the Strawberry shop with its lovely home-made ice cream is very popular! There are a number of larger resort-style towns including La Rochelle with its lovely harbor, Royan and Sables d’Olonne.
WHAT’S ON
Special Events
Throughout the year* there are many events especially during the summer months, a selection of these include :
MARCH: Wine festival at the Thouars Château attracts wine producers from all over France.
MAY: Medieval festival Montreuil Bellay with various re-enactments, displays and stalls
JUNE: International festival of giants and masks in Saumur
JUNE – SEPTEMBER: Festivini – Saumur hosts a large number of food- and wine-related events, some of our favourites include: the Grand Table where around 4000 people take their seat next to the river for a four-course meal and unlimited wine, accompanied by live bands; 7 Soirees of Summer where you can taste wines from the region accompanied by canapes and a DJ; or how about a guided walk, bike or horse ride through the vineyards accompanied by local food and wine?
JULY: Grand Prix at Puy de Notre Dame is a must for old vehicle enthusiasts. Over 150 pre-war vehicles are both on display and many drive around a pre-determined course at high speed (we are told it is not a race!!)
JULY: Carousel – military festival in Saumur with displays by the Cadre Noir riding school and military show. Each year has a different theme.
JULY: Anjou vintage velo is a cycling festival with a retro theme. Everyone dresses up and there are a variety of different routes to cater for all abilities. There is a vintage village in Saumur with bands, food and drink and lots of stalls.
JULY: Rose Festival in Doué La Fontaine showcases everything to do with the Rose.
*We advise to double-check all event dates before making special journeys and booking with us. Some events can change year on year.