En camping-car
Make the most of the Vallée de la Sarthe by travelling around the halts built and equipped for camping cars, close to villages or on a farm.
1- Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe : The first stop is the Maison de la Rivière to discover the work of the mariners and the history of the navigation on the Maine basin. There are plenty of restaurants and you will find the service point near the camping site “Le Port”.
2- Saint-Denis-d’Anjou : Meet at the Tourist Office to take in a visit guided of this “Petite cité de caractère”, marked by the history of the two counties of Anjou and the Maine. You can eat at the local restaurant and park in the centre of the village.
3-Sablé-sur-Sarthe : Welcome to the world of “Petits-Sablés de Sablé”. You can park either in the Henri Royer place or near the camping de l’Hippodrome where you will find a multi functional service point.
4-Juigné-sur-Sarthe : You can stop and have a picnic at the port with a view of the Abbey of Solesmes, home of the Gregorian Chant. Put on your walking shoes and discover the route “Tour des Carrières”, a walk of 14,5km. (You can buy a guide book from the Tourist Office at Sablé.)
5- Parcé-sur-Sarthe : The second “Petite cités de caractère” of the route. This village is nestled in the bends of the river. You can discover the Tour St Pierre, last relic of the church, burnt down by the English in the 14th century etc… You can park at the Post Office.
6- Malicorne-sur-Sarthe : town of ceramics: the Espace Faïence museum, workshops to visit, pottery shops to buy the work of the craftsmen of Malicorne. If you love the water, you can hire boats, pedalos, canoes and kayaks from the Tourist Office. The service point is at the campsite.
7- Fillé-sur-Sarthe : L'île MoulinSart, offers the experience of a unique cultural discovery within a beautiful natural environment. You can find out about flour production in the traditional way and visit the exhibitions in the art centre. You can also stretch your legs on the dance floor of La Guinguette on the waters’ edge and dine in the restaurant “Cabaret Estival”. L’île also proposes canoes or boats for outings on the water. Close by, you will discover the Domaine du Houssay at Spay and Spaycific’Zoo. You may park at the 3 sites or at the port in La Suze, especially designed for camping-cars.
On the tourist map, you will find all the sites that welcome camping cars.
For more information, see our section camping- car sites.
The second route is based on the theme “Parks and Gardens”. It is 67 km and has 6 steps.
1- Sablé-sur-Sarthe : Discover the grounds of the chateau situated in the heart of the town. It offers a view over the Château Colbert de Torcy on the port. There is also the Michel Vieille park to explore. You can park at the Henri Royer place. The service point is accessible near the Camping de l’Hippodrome.
2- Le Bailleul : The marshy area of Le Bailleul extends to 6.5ha and contains a labyrinth of willows and a natural zone composed of a discovery trail, an observatory, a reed bed, an instructive pond and a forest pond. There is also a leisure area with picnic tables and games. You can park in the big car park.
3- Asnières-sur-Vègre : The “Jardin Mosaïque”, an ecological garden, offers a beautiful view of the village of Asnières. The 2.5 ha garden has hundreds of different plants and flowers, a collection of old roses, medicinal plants and a typical vegetable garden, in a biodiversity setting. After this visit, walk through Asnières itself, said to be the most beautiful village in the Sarthe. You can park in the big car park.
4- Loué : You like fishing ? The marshes of Baraigné and the Pré await you. The restaurants of Loué all have the famous Loué chicken on their menus. You will find the camping-car welcome near the water base.
5- Crannes-en-Champagne : This village has a “Jardin Remarquable “ “Le Mirail “. It is structured by a principal axis and unites a French tradition and an English spirit. The individual enclosed gardens protect the mixed borders of colourful flowers and flowering trees. The box and yew topiaries provide the backscene. The camping car service halt is in the village of Coulans-sur-Gée.
6- Louplande : There is the garden of the chateau de Villaines, classed as a “Jardin Remarquable”. Its walled vegetable garden, in a classic design, was restored in 1997. You can park in the area especially created for camping-cars.