Walking trails, an exhibition about the Boire Torse and a willow conservatory offer different ways to explore Anetz’s natural and cultural heritage. You can tailor your choice to whether you want to experience landscapes on the move, view historical artefacts or compare plants. The architecture and history of Château de Vair also add distinctive features.

Nature and Trails in the Boire Torse Valley

The Boire Torse valley has remarkable biodiversity and is part of the Natura 2000 network. Five walking trails run through the valley from Le Fresne-sur-Loire via Montrelais and Varades to Anetz. Along the trails, signs provide information about the natural and cultural heritage of the route. The Boire Torse is about 17 km long; this figure refers to the watercourse, not to the length of the walking trail network.

The signs make nature and cultural topics part of the walking experience. If the information is important for finding your way, check the condition of the signs on site; you should also consider route conditions before setting out. This lets you consider landscape information and practical route planning separately, without confusing the length of the river with a walking distance.

Exhibition and Willow Diversity

The Écomusée de la Vallée is located in the delegated commune of Anetz and presents the history, landscapes and cultural heritage of the Boire Torse. The exhibition combines different forms of presentation: on display are old objects, archives and models, as well as a relief map of the Loire and an aerial video of the river. Historical artefacts are thus presented alongside spatial depictions of the landscape. The Écomusée is open free of charge on the first and third Sunday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. As opening hours may change, check the schedule before your visit.

The willow conservatory was established in 2006 by Anetz-Environnement to preserve traditional willow varieties from the Loire Valley region. The collection includes more than twenty traditional “Loire Valley” willow varieties and around twenty more varieties from different origins. These are used for observation and comparison with the “Loire Valley” willows; alongside conservation, the differences between varieties are also a focus. The collection may continue to evolve.

The conservatory can be visited independently, without an appointment. Information panels and signs explain the characteristics of each variety. As visitor information may change, it is advisable to check it again before travelling. This offers a different focus from the Écomusée: here, the emphasis is on willows and their varieties, while the Écomusée focuses on artefacts and depictions relating to the history and landscape of the Boire Torse.

Architecture and History

The Église Saint-Clément d’Anetz was built between 1897 and 1913. It combines Romanesque architectural influences with Neo-Byzantine inspiration, particularly evident in the bell tower. The construction period and varied influences offer a concrete point of reference if you are interested in the local architecture.

Château de Vair offers a different historical perspective: in the 12th century, it was a powerful fortress surrounded by water-filled moats. In 1518, Francis I and Queen Claude of France stayed there; the queen remained for two months. The Château is open for visits from April to November on Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. As opening hours may change, check the current schedule before your visit.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Geneston, Bonnoeuvre, Boussay, Guémené-Penfao, Quimiac, Mouzillon, Paulx, Guérande

For the main travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.