Martigné-Briand can be explored through two distinct highlights: historic buildings and a landscape of vineyards, fields and a wooded valley floor. The 14-kilometre route “Sur les pas de Saint Martin” passes through hamlets and by reminders of the past. The Circuit de Maligné offers its own landscape focus, with vineyards and 360-degree panoramas. The historic gardens of the Château de Villeneuve also offer a special perspective on the town’s history.

The Coteaux de Martigné-Briand landscape

The Coteaux de Martigné-Briand lie in somewhat steep terrain in the commune of Terranjou. Their character is shaped by more than vineyards alone: the landscape includes a wooded valley floor, grain fields, dry grassland and fallow land, as well as numerous vineyards. Plants that are rare in Maine-et-Loire have developed on the exposed limestone rocks and sandy soils. The different landscape features give the area more than one focal point: the open ground and wooded valley floor are part of the picture alongside the vineyards.

Those choosing a scenic route can compare the Circuit de Maligné with the longer “Sur les pas de Saint Martin” route. Maligné passes through vineyards and offers 360-degree panoramas; the other route connects hamlets and historic sites. These differences help visitors choose between a focus on landscape views and a succession of places and buildings, without treating the two routes as the same.

Routes and historic sites

“Sur les pas de Saint Martin” is 14 kilometres long and starts and finishes in Martigné-Briand. The route is described as taking 3 hours and 30 minutes on foot, 1 hour by bike and 2 hours on horseback. The stated duration therefore varies depending on how you travel: the longest of the three times is for walking, and the shortest is for cycling. Distance and duration answer different planning questions.

Along the way, the route passes through hamlets and by châteaux, a fountain, a chapel, washhouses and megaliths. The stops bring together different kinds of historic sites: buildings, places of everyday life and megaliths stand side by side. Those interested in history will find not only châteaux here, but also other traces of the past along the route.

The Château de Villeneuve is a historic monument dating from the 12th and 15th centuries. Visitors can stroll through its reconstructed historic gardens, with an explanatory document available. The gardens hold the official “Beau jardin des pays de la Loire” label. A stroll through the gardens adds another way to explore history alongside the routes, with the reconstructed gardens and their interpretation taking centre stage.

The Église Saint-Simplicien is also a historic monument: the entire church was listed by decree on 12 May 2015. Historically, it was associated with the Château de Martigné-Briand and formed part of the site’s defensive system. The Château de Martigné-Briand is associated with the 16th century and the year 1503. The Château des Noyers is dated to the 14th and 17th centuries. These different dates give each building its own historical context.

A culinary highlight

Famille Gazeau offers a private tasting of charcuterie and cheeses from local producers. Alongside the landscape and history, visitors can also enjoy a tasting featuring two specific product groups.

Discover more destinations: Cantenay-Épinard, Loiré, Thorigné-D'anjou, Coutures, Rochefort-Sur-Loire, Chemillé-Melay, Méon, Le Coudray-Macouard.

For the broader travel overview: Maine-Et-Loire.