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Grez Neuville

Where your boat is waiting for you, quiet town, which the quai is a walk place considered for the beauty of places, its calm and its landscapes. The first lock made with advices of the trainer, we are txo hundred meters later at the confluence of Mayenne and Oudon rivers. Should we enter on Oudon or to continue? The question can be settled, nevertheless let's go on without hesitation! As you crossed the bridge which marks the confluence, we enter on a smaller river, a green seeting where the treelike vegetable castings go down slopes until banks. Sometimes, at the bend of a meander, a pierced green lets appear a house. Farther, its small ponds lined of reeds and swamps where herons get up at the approach of the boat. Lion d'Angers town offer a pontoon to moor and markets are close to insure the estate management.

 

The Jaillette village

By going back up Oudon, on the left bank (to the right), a small wooden pontoon invites at a stop in the small village of Jaillette. Do not decline the offer, because this tiny village of character is bucolic. The small church, very simple, lets place to emotions with its small cemetery where rest about twenty souls, just front door as in the last century. This church, to which we have just put back a wooden bell tower and slates, has during a long time suffered of the abandonment. But we can admire a magnificent skeleton there arched in inverted boat hull and its walls again let guess fragments of frescoes of the middle-age. On the other side of the street, a smith works to repair agricultural machines. It preserved its former workshop of forge and is authorized to work for historic monuments.

 

Segré

Many boats do not go farther than the lock of Mainguet. It is necessary to say that the passage round trip of this lock moves closer to the center of Segré only of a kilometer. For Segré, it is so the choice: either two bathed more, or two kilometers on foot round trip. Past the lock, a long quay offers an capacity of mooring of 10 boats in stopover.
Since Segré we can visit in two kilometers of the port  the impressive castle of Lorie (10 000 square meters of roof), the park of the Petite Couère, situated to Nyoiseau (4,5 km of the port). It is a whole village which was reconstituted on 80 hectares. Every building presents a corporate association with tools and objects of this period : smith, grocer's shop, bar, lingerie, school, etc. … Farther, in big sheds, the surprise goes growing. A collection of 80 Tractors, former 35 cars, 2500 miniatures. http://www.lapetitecouere.fr/ Return on the Mayenne, we go back up towards Château-Gontier.

 

The stud farm of Lion d'Angers

 

Close to Grez-Neuville, in the direction of the Mayenne, for us river, the stud farm of the Lion of Angers offers an easy and magnificent access. We walk past the castle of Isle Briand which sheltered, during several years, the Chateaubriand family. Where from the name of Isle Briand for this semi-island ground between Mayenne and Oudon. Just close, on the bank, there is a strong aluminum pontoon. Do not hesitate to moor it. This access to the stud farm is one of the best times of the cruise. It is necessary to pass under the small bridge, to turn to the right under the big trees to the castle, and to be allowed guide by arrows until the reception. The stud farm, which dates 1797 was relocated by Angers towards this extraordinary site in 1975. Its accommodation facilities are about 60 brood mares and 50 stallions. Among these packages of energy on clogs, we meet of prestigious stallions which have acquired the glory on race tracks, but also of enormous shall perch and of the powerful line Breton from which the race have almost disappeared, the key point of the visit is the saddlery.

 

The cave of Montreuil

In fifty meters of the lock of Montreuil-sur-Maine, we discover, on the right bank, a cave which looks like to be mistaken in that there of Lourdes. It is not a mirage, it is effectively a faithful reproduction, in smaller, of the famous cave. In 1898, all the village participated in its realization to answer the wish of five girls and commemorate the fortieth birthday of the appearances of the virgin to Bernadette Soubirous.

 

Chambellay

The village of Chambellay deserves a stop. A visit in the church St Aubin is imperative. This visit does not cost either for the high and narrow style of the silhouette of this church, or for the outside aspect of its construction which posts a former bad restoration undergoing the assaults of the saltpetre. What you should not miss, it is the internal wealth and the picturesque of the history that accompanies them.

 

Jaille-Yvon

This picturesque village, in the flowery backyards, deserves a stopping place in the passage. On a boat, legs are little sought, and it is so much the better, because here it is necessary to use it, that rises hard to reach the church which we perceive in the middle of trees by raising the head. A pleasant and quiet path results in the village. Here, patches affixed on houses guide the visitor. So, we cross a very former forge. One also cross as well a old pump Drago with jar of 1906 which always works on its well of 21 m of depth. The church, level with the cliff, was built in 1860 in re-use of the product of the sale of the cemetery. Just behind, we discover the panorama on the Mayenne and the presbytery hung on in the space on side of cliff. It already existed in 1637.

 

Ménil

In the crossing of this small village, the map indicates the passage of a tub. There is only a small wooden pontoon, but if it is available it is necessary to ammarer. The place is charming and with a little luck, we can see the tub working.

Château-Gontier

In the lock of Pendu, just before arriving in town, we go along the factory Trade Amphora of oil-works. It was based in 1830 and, on the bajoyer, we can see the big grindstones which served to make some oil of linen and colza until 1949. To moor, it is advised to cross the last bridge and to use pontoons. If we raise the head, on the other bank, we see at the top of cliff the purpose of our visit: the church Holy Jean-Baptiste. Certainly, there is the others, but we limit ourselves to the most picturesque part of the high city. We can discover it close to the tourist office, the convent of ursulines.

 

 

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