In Trèves the tiny XI Century Church of Saint Aubin was rescued from ruin by Monseigneur Maupoint of Chênehutte. It is bare inside save for an ancient font and the 1443 tomb of Robert Le Maçon, Baron of Trèves, Chancellor of France and friend of Jeanne d-Arc.
The keep of Trèves Castle towers above the church. Jean Nicolas, ‘Terreur des Anglais’, was garrisoned here. Like the priory at Chênehutte, Cunault Castle is now a hotel.
The imposing entrance to the medieval Priory of Notre Dame shows the scars of battle. The statue of Jesus is headless and limbless and Mary has lost her hands.
From Gennes (market day Tuesday), follow la Route du Thoureil to enjoy the beautiful Regional Natural Park of Loire-Anjou-Touraine.
The winter trees are lovely. In summer the view of the river is obscured by foliage, but now the Loire shines through regimented trunks, with crowns bristling with globes of mistletoe. In le Thoureil, the road runs right by the water-side again on the Quai des Mariniers, offering a far-reaching view up-river. Traditional flat-bottomed boats strain at their moorings mid-stream.
This lovely village is popular
with locals for an afternoon stroll.
En route you pass the enormous Benedictine Abbée de Saint-Maur, which
is built on the site of a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to the river goddess.
Not far away is pretty Saint-Rémy-la-Varenne, with its C12th priory. From here, take a walk around the circular footpath ‘la Boucle de la Loire’ which leads you down to the river opposite Saint-Mathurin-sur-Loire.
A drive from here cross-country along ‘La Route de la Petite Loire’ completes the perfect day, following a minor tributary of the river.