Those choosing Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault for a stay will find a common thread in the connection between the Loire landscape, traditional architecture and local history. The three main villages and several hamlets lie mostly at the foot of the slope on the Loire’s left bank. This settlement pattern is considered typical of the Loire villages of Anjou. White Tuffeau stone and slate are among the area’s traditional building materials. At Cale de Trèves, you can also observe the Loire’s exceptional flora and fauna.
The Loire and traces of earlier work
The local caves tell of a variety of uses. Tuffeau was once quarried on a significant scale; quarrying has since ceased. Mushroom cultivation came later. The caves thus represent a shift from extracting a building material to another use of underground spaces.
House façades and weather vanes also offer clues to the river’s history: they preserve symbols from the time when boatmen used flat-bottomed gabares on the Loire. Together with the flora and fauna observed at Cale de Trèves, these details give the Loire riverbank more than just a scenic role. They also point to the people and activities associated with the river.
Sacred art and ancient history
The Prieurale Notre-Dame de Cunault was built from Tuffeau stone between the 11th and 13th centuries. Inside, visitors can see a polychrome stone Pietà dating from the 16th century. Notre-Dame de la Prée des Tuffeaux is home to two wooden votive offerings: one was donated by stonemasons, the other by boatmen. These two offerings thus commemorate different local trades in a specific detail of church art.
Other stops point to earlier periods. Near La Fouchardière, the remains of a Gallo-Roman settlement date from around 30 AD. The Temple du Villiers is a 2nd-century Gallo-Roman temple; its remains can be seen on the heritage trail. The Tour de Trèves, meanwhile, is the only surviving remnant of a fortified castle built in the 15th century. Together, these landmarks span the Gallo-Roman period through to the area’s late medieval heritage.
Hike or heritage trail?
For a clearly defined walking route, consider the “Entre Loire et coteaux” circular trail between Trèves and Chênehutte. It is 9 km long and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. The route is hilly and wooded, following the Loire and the upper slope. It starts from a car park on the banks of the Loire, opposite the Tour de Trèves. Check the signs and conditions locally before setting off.
The heritage trail has a different focus: it passes the remains of the Temple du Villiers and leads along Rue A. Sarazin to the Ermitage Saint-Jean. The two routes therefore suit different interests: the “Entre Loire et coteaux” trail has a specified length, duration and landscape, while the heritage trail takes you to clearly identified historical sites. You can decide before your trip whether a defined walking route or the discovery of individual heritage sites is a better fit for your stay.
Discover more destinations: Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Courléon, Saint-Sigismond, Briollay, Antoigné, Cheffes, Nuaillé, Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou
For the broader travel overview: Maine-Et-Loire.
