Typical cycling holiday itinerary for Mayenne
Day 1 Vaiges - The excellent restaurant, skilled and friendly staff, and the wonderful ambience make the Hotel du Commerce a superb base for a holiday. 100 years' experience and five generations of the Oger family provide a tradition of excellence. Billiards, ping pong, boules and a pool in the garden. Paul, our assistant, offers us a local aperitif on arrival.
Day 2 Vaiges - A quick visit to the baker for some of his fresh baguettes and homemade paté, and a kilo of cherries from the market stall set up in the square. We're all wearing sunglasses, hats and sun cream, so are now set for a gentle 11km cycle to Ste Suzanne. It's a medieval city proud to have withstood the seige of William the Conqueror 1083-1086. We visit William's camp, the chateau and the museum. There is also a restaurant in the square with flowers everywhere, not a soul in sight, but 'complet'. We shall have to eat our picnic.
Day 3 Vaiges-Saulges 10kms - Just no traffic. It is bliss to cycle without worrying about cars. Surprised how much I can fit into my pannier. Leave a smart set of clothes in my suitcase for my last night. We've planned a zig zag route to include visits to the caves, Grottes de Rochefort and de Margot where two lady explorers disappeared in the 1920s. Nowadays you get a guide! Glorious swim in the pool when we reached our hotel at Saulges, and a special regional menu at dinner.
Day 4 Saulges - We wander into the tiny 7C church next to the hotel, and then onto the restored 10C watermill at the Chateau de Thevalles, just out of the village. It is a fascinating story and we have a demonstration of how it all works from the owner, who lives in the chateau on the hill above. We are keen to hear the Gregorian chant in the Abbey at Solesmes and decide to pedal there for the 5pm service. Well worth the effort, especially as our route takes us through some lovely old villages, including Asniére sur Végre which has a church and bridge worth any detour.
Day 5 Saulges-Mezangers 25kms - Spotted cows and apple orchards everywhere. The small back roads have hardly a car all day, it feels like England 40 years ago. We stop to visit the Romanesque churches found in nearly every village and sit by a 12C packhorse bridge with our toes cooling in the stream as we eat our picnic. In Bannes there is the moated manor house, then onto Evron with its enormous basilica, where we search out the Bruges tapestry and the 16C organ. It's a short ride to our hotel and we have the pool to ourselves. Monsieur Peschard's kitchen is already emitting mouthwatering smells.
Day 6 Mezangers - A wonderful start to the day with breakfast on the terrace surrounded by the 'English' garden. Then off to the Gallo Roman fort at Jublains which despite being overrun by school children is a most impressive series of sites and includes a thermale, temple and theatre as well as the fortress. Fontaine Daniel is a village built up around a textile mill a la Robert Owen style. It is in a very pretty wood, allows us to do a little shopping, and has a tea shop serving Assam, Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong with delicious cakes. Yummy! Pedal back along the river Mayenne overlooked by the castle walls and the heavily buttressed church.
Day 7 Mezangers-Vaiges 18kms - Two of the nicest surprises of this holiday have been the friendly French people and discovering there are even more beautiful chateaux in the Mayenne than the Loire. At the Chateau de Bourgon at Montourtier the family enjoy being the guides so we feel very special.
Day 8 - Back home again today - we feel fitter, and despite all that lovely food, even thinner! Paul waves us off in the taxi to Le Mans, the journey seems so easy with the Eurostar