Chateau Gontier - Mayenne - Laval - Ménil - Angers
After the rail trails we had been following for much of the time in Brittany on the Regalante route it was a pleasure to now rejoin
La Vélo Francette at Chateau Gontier and follow the Mayenne river. If you’d like to read more about this cycle route you could click on ‘All Stages’ from this link.
While the rail trails were very good they were also quite taxing as every kilometre or so you would hit a road or farm track and have to stop at a barrier, walk around it, cross the road then walk around the barrier on the other side. Then you had to get the heavy bike moving again as the electric motor only assists once you have got moving. Hard on the knees!
Our first leg back on La Vélo Francette was to go 70km upstream to visit the town of Mayenne. The river trail was superb as it followed the curves of the river for the full 70km with little interruption. The scenery was lovely, changing with every turn of the river with forests, farm land, various crops and the occasional grand chateau like building appearing amongst the trees. The Mayenne was turned into a working river in the 18th and 19 th centuries with weirs, locks and mills established every 5km or so along the river. This made the river navigable and the mills attracted industries. Some of the mills are now mini hydro electric power stations and others have been turned into homes or gîtes. While the river trade has ceased there are now many leisure craft moving up and down the river using the lock system.
Following the Velo Francette cycle route beside the Mayenne River as we leave Chateau Gontier
Oh no!
The Chateau Mayenne 
We were looking forward to our two night stay in Mayenne as we had found a very nice place L’hotel de Hercé in which to spend it. On arrival, we were met by our Australian hosts Matt and Vanessa who had spent the last 8 years restoring this old 16th century aristocrat home to its former status. With Matt being a historian and Vanessa an archaeologist, they have done a lot of research to replicate what the house may have looked like and have scoured the brocante markets to fit out and furnish the large rooms. It was also interesting to hear their stories about the difficulties of getting established in France and running a business. A fascinating and relaxing two days and we were sorry to leave.
Our 2 night ‘treat’ accommodation 
Our Chambre with its silk fabric ‘wallpaper’. They had used fabric in many of the rooms to give it an authentic and luxurious feel.
The salon where we shared morning coffee and evening drinks with our Aussie hosts
Le petite dejeuner
Dinner in the lovely dining room
Back courtyard with lovely perfumed roses
This magnificent C16th home opposite L’Hotel de Hercé is owned by Parisians who only live there part time but plan to retire there in coming years. Not a bad little holiday shack!
Mayenne itself was a relatively small and quiet town with a chateau more of interest for its archeological history going back 2000 years than its aesthetics.
As we still hadn’t been blessed with any sunshine in which to sit in the lovely rose filled courtyard of L’Hotel Hercé, reluctantly we set off back in the direction we had come from two days earlier from the town of Chateau Gontier, navigating past the ‘Route Barrée’ sign on the goat track again towards our next destination, Laval. On the way, we had to take the opportunity to visit (or rather stand at the gate and chateau peep) the Chateau de la Motte Husson, of “Escape to the Chateau” fame. So, on a rare rainy day, we cut inland for 5km or so and found the Chateau where they appeared to be setting up for a function. Our hosts in Mayenne who had met the English chateau owners Angel and Dick Strawbridge at social functions, said they believed they were struggling since Brexit as they now had to comply with French law and for instance Dick could no longer conduct weddings as a Celebrant.
Detour to Chateau de la Motte Husson
Back to the river to retrace our pedal strokes and head back towards Laval. Very pleasant riding along a beautiful Voie Verte hugging the banks of the Mayenne all the way. So peaceful!
Apart from Mayenne and Laval each having a chateau on the banks of the Mayenne river, our two nights in Laval could not have been more different spent in a tiny Airbnb embedded in the ramparts that had a spiral staircase for people with size 6 feet and rather uncelubrious amenity. Back to earth with a thud!
From this in Mayenne
To this in Laval
The town of Laval with its chateau overlooking the river
Streets of the medieval quarter of Laval
Our rest day there was also another public holiday, (the third this month!) and everything, including the ubiquitous chateau, was closed. Fortunately we had topped up provisions for al fresco dining for our stay.
Continuing south on the beatutiful Mayenne river trail we were heading for Ménil where we had booked a Chambre d’Hote that was right beside the bike track. There we were greeted by our lovely host Christine who could not believe that she was hosting people all the way from Australia and insisted on a photo.
We shared our lodgings with a family. Dad was doing a car rally in his Triumph TR 4.
Along the way to Ménil
Another old mill along the Mayenne, now a gîte
Picnic lunch while listening to 3AW as the Pies beat the Hawks
The very grand hospital on the riverbank welcomes us back to Chateau Gontier after our 70k cycle up to Mayenne and back via Laval
An evening stroll along the river to enjoy a drink at the campground and enjoy the reflections 
Nearing Angers as our river widens at its confluence with the Sarthe which flows into the Maine which then flows into the Loire. Such a watery area!
Lunch! The last of our provisions after not finding any villages along the way to get anything.
Could this be snow on a 29 degree day? Or sneeze and itchy eye inducing spring irritants?
An intricate old medieval building in Angers built around 1491.
The final 50km on the Mayenne into Angers started well but for the last 20km the track was poorly maintained and would have been unpassable in the wet. We were sorry to farewell the lovely Mayenne as we came into Angers but are looking forward to continuing on La Vélo Francette to La Rochelle from where we will spend a relaxing week on the island Ile de Ré. We’ve just clocked over 1700km so are looking forward to staying put for a few days, having a rest and exploring the island’s 100km or so of bike trails.
This featured blog entry was written by themaggiej from the blog Maggie & Keith’s Electrifying Bike Tour.
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