The “Le Millénaire” and “Entre Blou et Neuillé” hiking trails are almost the same length, at 15.76 and 15.9 kilometres. They differ in their landscapes and the sights along the way: one is defined by plains, woodland and the valley view from Butte de Blou; the other passes through the communes of Neuillé and Blou, offering the chance to discover châteaux and washhouses. The town’s history also includes Église Saint-Médard and the Serre Plants B spring market, whose fifth edition took place in 2026.
Hiking Trails of Similar Length
In 2024, Saumur Val de Loire described the “Le Millénaire” trail as challenging. It starts in Neuillé and is 15.76 kilometres long. Its paths alternate between stone, sand and grass; the trail crosses a large forest, passes through plains and climbs to the heights of Butte de Blou. From there, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view over the valley. The Butte is 109 metres high and is considered the highest point in the region.
The 15.9-kilometre “Entre Blou et Neuillé” hiking route runs through woodland and a market-garden area in the communes of Neuillé and Blou. It offers the chance to discover châteaux and washhouses. Despite their similar lengths, the routes are distinguished not by a significant difference in kilometres, but by the landscapes and themes along the way.
When comparing the two hikes, “Le Millénaire” stands out for its explicitly challenging rating, varied trail surfaces and valley view. “Entre Blou et Neuillé” focuses on the market-garden area and the chance to discover châteaux and washhouses. These features provide a practical basis for choosing between a focus on landscapes and one on cultural heritage, without making trail length the only criterion.
Spring Market in Neuillé
The Serre Plants B spring market held its fifth edition in 2026. Around 20 local producers, creatives, craftspeople and associations showcased regional products and handmade goods and offered insights into their work. The programme for that edition also included an exhibition and a storytelling walk.
The 2026 edition of the market brought together several forms of local participation: goods and crafts were presented alongside insights into the participants’ work, while the exhibition and walk added cultural activities to the programme. The market activities mentioned here relate to that specific edition.
Église Saint-Médard: Construction History and Architecture
Église Saint-Médard was built in 1880 from tuff stone in the Neo-Romanesque style, to plans by Ernest Dainville of Angers, a diocesan architect, on the site of the former Romanesque village church. The construction date, building material and earlier church place today’s building within the town’s longer history.
Inside, the church has a three-bay nave with Angevin Gothic rib vaults and a Romanesque apse with a domical vault. The three bays divide the nave into sections; a domical vault is a dome-shaped form of vaulting. These architectural features show the different stylistic influences: Angevin Gothic vaults in the nave and a Romanesque apse.
The attic is also part of the building’s history: it is protected by a biotope protection order because it is home to a colony of greater mouse-eared bats. Here, built heritage and a protected bat habitat come together.
Discover more destinations: Cholet, Le Mesnil-En-Vallée, Chazé-Henry, Sainte-Gemmes-d'Andigné, Faye-D'anjou, Saint-André-De-La-Marche, Écuillé, Juigné-Sur-Loire.
For the broader travel guide: Maine-Et-Loire.
