Anjou Region
Grez Neuville, Laval & Sable Sur Sarthe Base Information
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Just a few hours from Paris, between the Castles of the Loire and Brittany, this unique region offers 300 km of beautiful waterways devoted purely to pleasure craft. Renowned for its gentle atmosphere, gastronomy, castels and abbeys,

Anjou boasts a superb network of rivers : the Mayenne, the Sarthe and the Oudon will guide you peacefully through historical treasures and charming villages. This is also one of the best-equipped networks in France : with ports and human-scale locks open every day and operated by lock-keepers.
Grez Neuville - Base Information
Grez-Neuville is ideally situated to explore the Mayenne and the Oudon. This charming village lies on the banks of the Mayenne, a winding river flowing through wild and wooded countryside. On your way, you'll notice a large number of private castle and old windmills. Stop off at Angers, the city of King René and home of Cointreau : the fortress here is said to be one of the most beautiful in France. Entrammes is well worth a stop for its abbey and "Port du Salut" cheesemakers. The Museum of Naive Art is at Laval, home also to Henri Rousseau. From the "Lion d'Angers" the river Oudon will take you along to Segré.

The attractions :
locks open all year round, numerous riverside villages, waterways devoted entirely to pleasure cruising,
relatively few locks, mild climate, varied countryside.
Sable Sur Sar - Base Information
Sablé sur Sarthe is the ideal base for exploring the Sarthe, a calm and peaceful river. The novice may be attracted by the fact that there are very few locks.Sarthe is dotted with many picturesque villages as it meanders across the Anjou countryside. Just 4 kms from Cheffes sur Sarthe, you can visit the very elegant castle of Plessis Bourré with its moat. Near Sablé, the imposing Benedictine abbey of Solesme is a by-word for Gregorian chant. Malicorne, further North, is well-known for its fine earthenware. Finally, everyone knows about the Le Mans 24-hour races, but do you know its delightful old quarter?

The attractions :
locks open all year round, numerous riverside villages, waterways devoted entirely to pleasure cruising,
relatively few locks, mild climate, varied countryside.

Laval - Base Information
The port of Laval is an ideal starting point for a canal boat holiday. It is surrounded by nature as well as being easy to get to – with the boat moorings located just one kilometre from the TGV train station. Before you leave Laval we thoroughly recommend exploring the city. It is rich with art and history – must sees are the castle, the church of Notre-Dame d'Avesnières, the Saint Julien boat wash-house museum, and Lactopôle (the largest dairy museum in the world!).

From here you’re then free to cruise along the river Mayenne (south) towards Angers and discover the abbey and famous cheese of Port du Salut, the prehistoric megalith monuments at Baronnière, the baths and Roman settlements at Entrammes or the ancient city of Château Gontier and its pretty half-timbered houses. The Mayenne river is a wild and unspoilt waterway that is popular with fisherman and nature lovers. Crews can also take full advantage of the onboard bikes thanks to the excellent towpaths, a large part of which links up as part of the renowned Vélo Francette.

The attractions :
locks open all year round, numerous riverside villages, waterways devoted entirely to pleasure cruising,
relatively few locks, mild climate, varied countryside.
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