Fancy slipping just 1½ hours from Paris to swap city grind for gentle spins along the Loire, tastings of crisp Chenin Blanc and explorations of a troglodytic maze? Then you’ll love Maine-et-Loire – Anjou (49)! Here, the legendary douceur angevine unfolds in a patchwork of landscapes, châteaux and gardens where life slows down without ever getting dull.

Nature & easy touring
Let the royal river be your guide: hop on La Loire à Vélo or La Vélofrancette to glide through the Anjou-Saumur vineyards, leafy levees and honey-coloured tuffeau villages. On foot, way-marked paths skirt hop fields, troglodyte dwellings and orchards before reaching the panoramic balconies of the Layon hillsides.

Heritage & living culture
Start in Angers, home to the Dukes of Anjou’s fortress and the monumental Apocalypse Tapestry. Downstream, the gothic naves of Fontevraud shelter the effigies of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine, while the Cadre Noir in Saumur showcases French equestrian excellence. Underground, thousands of gallery-caves morph into homes, mushroom farms or sparkling-wine cellars, and above ground Parc Oriental de Maulévrier and Terra Botanica celebrate centuries-old horticultural know-how.

Flavours & art of living
Six wine routes criss-cross Anjou-Saumur: savour mineral Savennières, silky Saumur-Champigny reds or luscious Layon sweet wines, then push open the doors of historic distilleries—Cointreau, Combier, Giffard. Add in troglo-baked fouaces, Cholet’s red handkerchief-heritage and textured local linens, and the picture is complete.

Whether you travel solo, as a pair or with the whole tribe, Anjou offers a “train + nature + culture” escape where cycleways, troglodytes, gardens and vineyards unite the strength of true gentleness. Tôpette!