- The health crisis linked to the coronavirus should favor tourism in France during the next weekends and this summer.
- To inspire you a bit for your vacation, "20 Minutes" has chosen five hikes or bike tours to discover around Nantes
Do you know the banks of the Erdre by heart and are looking for something other than the beach? It's time to find your hiking shoes or inflate the wheels of your ATV. 20 Minutes has selected five ideas for outings close to Nantes to stretch your legs while (re) discovering the region. Let's go !
In the vineyard, push up to Boussay
Accessible from Nantes by bike or by TER (for example to Pallet), a stopover in the Nantes vineyards is essential. For the first time, choose between the multitude of circuits on offer, without forgetting to visit the pretty town of Clisson nicknamed "Italian". "15 minutes away, the Boussay sector is less known but just as beautiful," says Nathalie Petitjean, from the vineyard tourism office. It is a very hilly place that offers magnificent views of the river, as on the hillside Sautejeau. Good to know for family outings: the “Murmures de rocher” courses offer a fun approach to flora and fauna.
Head for the Chalonnes and Béhuard islands
Head east with the discovery of the Loire Islands. The must is to go for a weekend and take the Loire route by bike, departing from Nantes. After 80 km and landscapes as beautiful as each other, you will arrive on the island of Chalonnes (Maine-et-Loire), the largest river island in Europe (14 km long), where corn is grown, sunflower, asparagus and melons. Just after, discover the island of Béhuard (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). You can obviously move forward by car. No time but are you tempted by the Loire Islands? Go for a walk and a picnic on Clémentine Island, in Sainte-Luce.
A tour of the Briere, a detour to Kherinet
Between June and September, it's the perfect time to go to the Brière marsh, inaccessible the rest of the time due to the water level. To discover this natural park populated by waders or European otters, the GRP Tour de Brière (68 km) can be taken on foot, by bike, and even on horseback. "It's a walk closer to nature, where you walk along meadows and cross footbridges over the canals," explains Tiphaine Thudor, in charge of communication for the Brière regional natural park, who advises come with a "fairly sturdy" bike. Thirty other walks are proposed, and new cycle paths will open this summer. Do not miss the village of Kherinet and its 18 thatched cottages.
The forest of Gâvre, a haven of peace
For you, hiking necessarily rhymes with forest? We also have what it takes, north of the department. Covering an area of 4,460 hectares, the Gâvre forest is the largest state forest in Loire-Atlantique. In addition to producing wood, it offers a superb playground for walkers (three marked trails of 3, 6 or 8km) and cyclists (two trails). Perhaps you will come across deer, the largest mammal in the forest. Or bats at night.
Our summer vacation file here
Le Pré in La Chapelle-Hermier, secluded and peaceful corner
This locality is located on the right bank of the Lac du Jaunay, in La Chapelle-Hermier in Vendée. This 114 hectare lake stretches over 8 km. A very wooded and green walking route is offered from the Pré site, where painting exhibitions are often installed. It is also possible to get on the mountain bike to go around the lake. Donkey and carriage rides (from Calin Ca-donkeys) delight children and adults and allow you to visit the shaded surroundings of the lake.
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Deconfinement: The practice of cycling takes off in France
- Deconfinement
- Coronavirus
- School vacation
- Hiking
- Summer holidays
- Nantes