MARA RIVIERE Gîte d'étape sur la Vélo Francette

We loved stopping here with our two children on our cycling trip along the Mayenne River. Breakfast in the sunshine was memorable, with the lock slowly waking up around us. The house is exclusive and very well equipped, and the welcome was lovely. Across the water, Chenillé-Changé looked beautiful, especially at sunset, when the village and lock felt like a little stage. Such a peaceful, refreshing stop.

The view across to Chenillé-Changé is beautiful, and we really enjoyed the excellent food at La Table du Meunier. This was an ideal Vélo Francette stop, with a peaceful night's sleep, a generous breakfast, and all the handy cyclist facilities: somewhere to keep and clean bikes and pump up the tires. Just 2 km away by bike, Anjou Sport Nature in La Jaille has plenty to do, including treetop courses, orienteering, paddleboarding, and paintball. A big thank you to Anne for the warm welcome and for sharing her wonderful life with us. I highly recommend this lock house :)

Facing Chenillé-Changé, the setting is beautiful, and the lock-keeper's house is a wonderfully clean, well-kept haven. We got a very warm welcome and a generous breakfast. Cyclists will find practical facilities here too, including a garage for bikes and a way to recharge electric bike batteries.

Waking up to sunshine and a light veil of mist over the river was superb. The beautiful lock-keeper's house sits right on the Mayenne towpath, and there's a garage where you can store and charge bicycles. The host was very friendly. No complaints, I highly recommend it as a stopover.