Discover Indre on the Loire: paths, trees and history

Indret, Basse-Indre and Haute-Indre are former rocky islands and today make up the municipality of Indre on the Loire. There are walking paths through streets and parks, along narrow venelles, or a cycling route to the Loire ferry. Other highlights include the riverside market in Basse-Indre and the history of the Chapelle Sainte-Anne in Indret. When planning your trip, you can focus on nature, the local townscape, industrial history or cycling.

A walk among remarkable trees

Created in 2025, the “Parcours des arbres remarquables” is a walking route through the streets and parks of Basse-Indre, Haute-Indre and Indret. Information boards accompany the route and showcase 18 remarkable trees. The boards draw attention to individual specimens, while the streets and parks provide the setting for the walk. As the circuit takes in all three parts of the municipality, it brings several areas together around a tree theme. It is a good choice if you want to explore Indre on foot and are interested in remarkable trees.

Venelles and the townscape of Basse-Indre

The “Les Îles d’Indre” route passes through narrow venelles in the Basse-Indre section, climbing towards the town centre. This combination of narrow lanes and an uphill route gives this section its historic townscape character. The route offers a different focus from the tree trail: here, the shape of the lanes and the town centre take centre stage, while the tree trail features trees along paths through streets and parks in three parts of the municipality. When choosing a walk, you can consider whether you would rather focus on the townscape or on remarkable trees.

The history of the Chapelle Sainte-Anne

The Chapelle Sainte-Anne in Indret is housed in a building that once contained a tidal mill. The mill was used to bore cannon barrels. In 1843, the former boring workshop was converted into a chapel; the Chapelle Sainte-Anne has been deconsecrated since 1976. The building therefore links two clearly distinct uses: the mill’s technical work and its later use as a chapel. This change is a distinct aspect of local history and offers a glimpse into Indret’s industrial past.

Market on the banks of the Loire

The Basse-Indre market takes place at Place Jean Bordais on the banks of the Loire. This gives you a specific place to visit the market in Basse-Indre. If you plan to include the market in your itinerary, you can mark the square as a stop, in addition to the walking routes and the area’s history.

Cycle to the ferry

The “Pédaler d’œuvres en œuvres” cycling tour is 30 km long, takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, and is accessible to everyone. Follow the “Indre” signs to Basse-Indre, where you cross the Loire by ferry. You can set aside the stated duration as a separate block of time in your day’s itinerary. As the ferry crossing is part of the route, it is worth checking the ferry times before setting off. This makes the cycling route different from the walking routes in terms of transport, the stated time frame and the ferry crossing. For your outing, you can choose between a longer cycling tour and walks focused on trees or the townscape.

Discover more destinations: Le Cellier, La Rouxière, Plessé, Le Pallet, Notre-Dame-Des-Landes, Saint-Léger-Les-Vignes, Herbignac, Nort-Sur-Erdre.

Back to the main travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.