The best running trails around Les Landes-Genusson

Beautiful view from the bridge over the Sèvre and the hamlet of "Vallée de Torfou". From the latter you can see the old tannery on the riverbank, and glimpse the church and some elements of the castle higher up.

A large medieval castle. It features themed shows, including siege engine demonstrations.

Another beautiful site on the Sèvre Nantaise, with the unusual feature this time: it's not only at the crossroads of three departments (LA, Vendée, and M&L), a rather common occurrence, but also of three former provinces: Brittany, Poitou, and Anjou. The crossroads is formed by the Sèvre on one side and its tributary, the Bon Débit, on the other. The inn of the same name looks very nice; in any case, the setting is splendid.

With the castle and the meeting of the Crûme and the Sèvre Nantaise, this small valley is full of fantastic landscapes to explore.

The thick walls and 18 towers clinging tightly to the granite spur protected the fortress from enemy attacks to this day. In the castle built in the 12th century, the weapons of war are still ready for battle, at that time there were 16 medieval machines, including the largest trebuchet (the trebuchet is a seesaw with a power and load arm) in France with a firing height of over 160 meters!

From 1820, during the Restoration, everywhere, we saw monuments erected in memory of the Vendée leaders. The Marquis de la Bretesche, General Councilor of Maine-et-Loire, wanted to perpetuate the memory of the so-called Battle of Torfou of September 19, 1793, one of the Vendée victories in which the multiple assaults of the Republican troops, reinforced by the troops of Kléber, came to an end. from Mainz. In 1826 he erected at his own expense this granite column 8m65 high and 1m33 in diameter, "duration being the most important thing in these constructions" in his own words. In 1975, the Association du Souvenir Vendéen had two new plaques sealed, one of which bears the names of the Vendée generals who took part in the battle of "Elbée, Bonchamps, Charrette, Lescure, Royrand".

This passage over a bridge in this valley dug by the Sèvre Nantaise is located at the exact confluence of the 3 municipalities and departments each representing one of the 3 historical provinces: Boussay, Loire Atlantique (44) for Brittany, Torfou, Maine and Loire (49) for Anjou, La Bruffière, Vendée (85) for Poitou. It is a peaceful valley with an inn. On the map, this place is found under its real name: "La Grossière", but it is still less elegant... For cyclists, it's an opportunity to go uphill with also 3 choices: a gentler slope (approximately 4 or 5%) going towards Torfou and Maine et Loire, steeper (6 to 8%) going towards the Bruffière and the Vendée, and can be even a little steeper (6 to 9%) on the small road which goes up towards the north and allows to branch off towards Boussay and the Loire Atlantique.

Castle that belonged to Gilles de Rais, lord of the Marches of Brittany who inspired the myth of Bluebeard. The region of the Marches of Brittany marked the border between the Kingdom of France and Brittany, stretching from Tiffauges to Pornic, passing through Clisson, Machecoul (other castles) and Saint-Étienne-de-Mer-Morte.