Yes — they sit within about 90km of each other along the Loire and its tributaries, making a loop by car straightforward over three or four days.
Discover Authentic Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau, the Château de Brissac and the island of Béhuard.
Top 5 Things to Do in Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée
Le Mans
Best known for its 24-hour endurance race, but the old town — the Cité Plantagenêt — holds some of the best-preserved Roman city walls in Europe. Wander the cobbled streets around the cathedral before the racetrack crowds pull your attention elsewhere.
Angers
The Château d'Angers houses the Apocalypse Tapestry, a medieval work over 100 metres long. The city's black slate rooftops give it a distinct look among Loire Valley towns, and the Loire à Vélo cycling route passes right through on its way to Saumur.
Saumur
Its château sits above the Loire, but the real character is underground: this is troglodyte country, with homes, mushroom farms and wine cellars carved into the soft tuffeau stone. Saumur also makes its own sparkling wine, méthode traditionnelle, worth tasting where it's made.
Puy du Fou
A historical theme park built around live reenactments rather than rides — Viking raids, gladiator fights, birds of prey shows — staged across sets that recreate different centuries. Evening shows run through summer and draw visitors from well beyond the Vendée.
Les Sables-d'Olonne
A working beach town and the start-finish point of the Vendée Globe, the solo round-the-world sailing race. It's a solid base for the Vendée coast, with a long sandy beach and an old fishing quarter behind the seafront.
Explore Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée
We've mapped local spots around Le Mans and Angers, and into the Vendée.
Abbeys & châteaux
Abbaye Royale de l'Épau
Founded in 1229 by Berengaria of Navarre, widow of Richard the Lionheart, this Cistercian abbey looks as it did in the 13th century after 50 years of restoration. Explore the cloister, church, dormitory and scriptorium. 10 minutes from our Mercure Le Mans Centre.
Le Mans · Abbey · Perfect for history
Château de Brissac
Seven floors and 204 rooms make Brissac the tallest château in France: gilded ceilings, a Belle Époque theatre, and grounds with vineyards, a waterfall and a small temple. 25 minutes from our Mercure Angers Centre Congrès.
Brissac-Quincé · Château · Made for a full day out
Musée Jean-Lurçat
In Angers' historic Hôpital Saint-Jean, Jean Lurçat's 'Le Chant du Monde': ten tapestries woven between 1959 and 1966. A 15-minute walk from our Mercure Angers Centre Congrès.
Angers · Tapestry museum · Great for art lovers
Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud
A thousand-year-old abbey 20 minutes from Saumur, with a contemporary art museum and new exhibitions every year.
Fontevraud · Abbey · Ideal for history and art
Cité Plantagenêt
The historic heart of Le Mans: cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and Renaissance mansions within the Roman wall. Lose your way, happily.
Le Mans · Old town · Perfect for a stroll
Cathédrale Saint-Julien
One of France's largest cathedrals, blending Romanesque and Gothic, famous for its stained glass.
Le Mans · Cathedral · Great for architecture
Gallo-Roman wall
Built in the late 3rd century, one of Europe's best-preserved Roman fortifications.
Le Mans · Roman wall · Ideal for history
Musée Joseph-Denais
A cabinet of curiosities of more than 9,000 objects in Beaufort-en-Anjou.
Beaufort-en-Anjou · Museum · Made for the curious
Loire villages & traditions
Béhuard
A small inhabited island on the Loire, with a charming village and the Notre-Dame chapel built on a rock, looking towards Savennières and the Coulée de Serrant. 25 minutes from our Mercure Angers Centre Congrès.
Béhuard · Island village · Perfect for a stroll
Parcé-sur-Sarthe
Halfway between Angers and Le Mans, a 'Petite Cité de Caractère' in a bend of the Sarthe: flowered lanes, 15th- and 16th-century houses, the Saint-Pierre tower and riverside walks. 40 minutes from our Mercure Le Mans Centre.
Parcé-sur-Sarthe · Village · Ideal for a peaceful walk
Boule de fort at La Bonne Alliance
Boule de fort, part of Anjou's intangible heritage, is played with weighted, iron-rimmed balls on a curved track. Founded in 1868, La Bonne Alliance invites you to have a go. 20 minutes from our Mercure Angers Centre Congrès.
Bouchemaine · Traditional game · Made for a local experience
Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans
The 13.6 km circuit of the world's oldest endurance race, run since 1923.
Le Mans · Racing circuit · Perfect for motorsport fans
24 Hours of Le Mans Museum
More than 100 vehicles trace the race from its origins to today. Engines on.
Le Mans · Museum · Great for car lovers
Distillerie Combier
The oldest working distillery in the Loire valley, where the first orange triple sec was created in 1834.
Saumur · Distillery · Made for tastings
Angers food tour
A three-hour walk with at least six sweet and savoury stops, often with local wines. Come hungry.
Angers · Food tour · Perfect for foodies
Le Sablésien
Gourmet river cruises from Sablé-sur-Sarthe, 45 minutes from Le Mans.
Sablé-sur-Sarthe · Boat cruise · Ideal for lunch on the water
Nature & family
Parc Oriental de Maulévrier
Europe's largest Japanese garden. Cross the bridges and slow right down.
Maulévrier · Garden · Perfect for a change of scene
La Folie de Finfarine
A 10-hectare park in the Vendée countryside, all about bees and beekeeping.
Vendée · Nature park · Great for families
Chemin de Fer de la Vendée
A steam train through the Vendée bocage, from Mortagne-sur-Sèvre to Les Herbiers.
Mortagne-sur-Sèvre · Heritage railway · Made for families
Zoo de la Flèche
One of France's best-known zoos, with more than 1,500 animals of 150 species.
La Flèche · Zoo · Perfect for families
FAQ
It's a full day out, and most visitors plan an overnight nearby to catch the evening show as well as the daytime performances, so factor that into your schedule.
It's a drive of roughly an hour and a half from Angers or Saumur to the Vendée coast around Les Sables-d'Olonne — manageable as a day trip, easier as an overnight stay.
The Château de Brissac, with seven floors and 204 rooms, 25 minutes from Angers.
A traditional Anjou game played with weighted, iron-rimmed balls on a curved track; try it at La Bonne Alliance in Bouchemaine.
The Abbaye Royale de l'Épau, 10 minutes from Hotel Mercure Le Mans Centre, and the village of Parcé-sur-Sarthe.
Where to Sleep in Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée
See our Mercure hotels across Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire & Vendée, ideally placed to explore these picks.