In June and July 2009, new stretches were opened: the Angers loop of the Loire à Vélo cycling itinerary, Montsoreau-Saumur (along the Loire) and Chaumont-sur-Loire – Rilly.
The Angers loop
This 40km loop offers
an alternative route to the paths along the Loire via Les
Ponts-de-Cé and Ste Gemmes-sur-Loire.
The east loop sets
off from Angers train station through the villages of
Saint-Barthélémy-d'Anjou, Trélazé and La
Daguenière. It particularly gives you the chance to
explore the Slate Quarry in Trélazé. The west loop
goes to Bouchemaine along the Maine river.
Montsoreau-Saumur
The final itinerary was officially opened by some forty local
representatives on 3 July 2009 with Jacques Auxiette, President of
the Pays de la Loire region, during the World Heritage
Rendezvous.
It runs alongside the Loire through some lovely undergrowth
and above all the villages by the banks of the Loire, including
the underground road in the caves at Souzay and the cave village
of arts and crafts at Turquant. Until now, the provisional
itinerary went up the hillside from Saumur Castle and crossed
through the Saumur-Champigny vines.
Innovation: Géovélo, the cycling itinerary
calculator for the Tours urban area
This website is the brainchild of Tours-born Benoît
Grimberg and was created with the help of a computer engineer,
Gaël Sauvanet, and the IT lab of Tours University. By entering
your departure and arrival addresses,
the website works out the best route based on your preferences
(shortest or safest route). The route planner specifies if
you're taking a cycle path, cycle lane or sharing the road with
cars.
This project received funding from the Tour(s)plus urban area
community and French Ministry of Ecology.