Gennes: Dolmen, Loire Views and Routes

Gennes combines historic buildings with places of remembrance and trails that appeal to a range of interests. Saint-Eusèbe Church brings together architectural history and views over the Loire Valley; the Mazerolles Amphitheatre offers an archaeological attraction with an educational trail. When planning your trip, it is also worth distinguishing between the long-distance hiking trail, the trail-running course and the cycling route: for one of these routes, the distance and elevation gain are specified.

Monuments and history in Gennes

The Dolmen de la Magdelaine in Gennes has been protected as a historic monument since 1930. Saint-Eusèbe Church offers a different perspective: it was built from the 11th century onwards on a rocky promontory overlooking the Loire Valley. The megalithic monument and the church offer different starting points for a cultural and historical trip.

The church’s setting is also one of its distinctive features. It stands 41 metres above the Loire and offers views of the valley. At Saint-Eusèbe, both the building’s history and its elevated position overlooking the Loire Valley take centre stage.

The Gallo-Roman amphitheatre of Mazerolles in Gennes was built at the beginning of the 2nd century AD and has been protected as a historic monument since 1986. An educational trail with eight interpretive panels complements the site. The dating and the trail offer two different ways to engage with the site: its place in history and how that history is presented on site.

At the foot of Saint-Eusèbe Church is the Mémorial des Cadets de Saumur. It contains 17 graves of soldiers who fell in Gennes and the Saumurois. This memorial site adds a tangible dimension of remembrance to the religious and archaeological themes; the number of graves and the places where the soldiers fell are part of its description.

Nature watching at Étang de Joreau

Étang de Joreau and the surrounding woodland are designated as a regional nature reserve. At least 47 dragonfly species have been observed in the Étang area; further surveys may increase this number. For nature enthusiasts, this is a point of interest in its own right: alongside the buildings and places of remembrance, visitors can also explore a designated protected area and its documented biodiversity.

Hiking, trail running and cycling

The GR3 long-distance trail passes through Gennes. More route details are available for the “Les Chemins de Joreau” trail-running course: it starts at the Parking du 19 mars car park, is 13.9 kilometres long and has 159 metres of elevation gain and 159 metres of elevation loss. This makes it possible to distinguish between the two trails based on the information available: for the GR3, the stated detail is that it passes through Gennes; for the trail-running course, a specific distance and elevation profile are also provided.

As route information may be updated, check the distance and elevation details before setting out. Another option for planning your trip is the “Sur la piste des mégalithes et troglodytes” cycling loop, which starts at Place du 19 mars in Gennes. Its starting point and route type add a cycling option to the hiking and trail-running information. This lets you compare the options by activity and the planning details provided for each, without treating the different routes as one combined trail.

Discover more destinations: Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Blou, Chambellay, Morannes, Saint-Melaine-Sur-Aubance, Montfaucon-Montigné, Saint-Martin-du-Bois, Vaudelnay.

For the wider travel guide: Maine-Et-Loire.