Vaas on the Loir: Mill, Heritage and Walking Trails

Vaas lies on the banks of the Loir. If you are looking for a hotel in Vaas, the mill and heritage, walking trails or seasonal events can shape the focus of your stay. The town brings these themes together with a riverside setting, a historic mill and activities ranging from museum visits to things to do on the water.

Mill and Museum

The Moulin de Rotrou on the Loir is a 16th-century watermill that is still in operation and continues to turn. Various tour options let you discover the mill, its waterwheel and its machinery. The complex also includes the Musée du Blé au Pain. Guided and self-guided visits are available there, taking you from grain and historic equipment used for cultivation and threshing to a mill with grinding stones and a bakery with an oven. Technical insights into milling sit alongside the stages of breadmaking.

Church and Long History

Vaas has a history stretching back more than two thousand years. Its story includes a Bronze Age dolmen, a Roman Condita and the later Abbey of Notre-Dame de Vaas. The Dolmen de la Pierre Couverte is located in Vaas near the place or locality known as la Pierre Couverte. The Église Notre-Dame was the former royal abbey church of Vaas. It was restored in the 12th century and features Plantagenet vaults and 14th-century frescoes. It is protected as a historic monument; it was listed on February 16, 1926.

Four circular trails start at the Espace Culturel and lead, among other places, to the former abbey and its chapel, a troglodyte settlement, castles and townhouses. Other destinations include a former mushroom farm and historic dwellings. The trails therefore link different traces of the town’s history, though not every stop dates from the same period.

Walking and Scenery along the Loir

Vaas – La grande boucle is a yellow-marked hiking trail of the Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR) type in Vaas. The challenging route is 27.0 kilometers long and passes through the landscapes of the Loir Valley: a tree-lined river, hamlets, farms, grand houses, apple orchards and former watermills. It offers a clearly identified longer hiking option alongside the four circular trails starting at the Espace Culturel.

From Vaas, you can explore the Loir Valley from east to west. It stretches from La Chartre-sur-le-Loir through Racan to Durtal, encompassing three départements and two regions. Near Vaas lies La Prée d’Amont, with its reed beds and several dozen hectares of wet meadows. A path crosses the area, allowing you to discover the remarkable species found there. Access information may change; check it before visiting. A visitor guide is available from Vaas town hall or can be requested from the Sarthe Department. Check the latest access information for La Prée d’Amont before your visit.

Festivals and Regional Produce

The Fête de la pomme et des produits du terroir is held annually in Vaas. Activities associated with the festival include visits to apple orchards, walks and mountain bike rides. The Fête du Blé au Pain is held regularly at the Moulin de Rotrou. Its 24th edition in 2026 covered the process from making flour to baking bread in a wood-fired oven. The Fête des Fouées celebrates small breads filled with a choice of fillings. This family event at the Moulin de Rotrou is a recurring June tradition.

Fishing, Water and Getting There

Along the Loir, the A.A.P.P.M.A. Vaas manages 6.4 kilometers of public fishing waters between the Barrage du Bruant and the Barrage de Cherré. Check fishing regulations and permits separately. There is also a one-hectare second-category fishing lake at Étang de la Gare; local rules may change. Vaas also has a fishing spot accessible to people with reduced mobility. Confirm accessibility before your trip.

Les Pélicans du Loir rents out canoes, kayaks, pedal boats and stand-up paddleboards on weekends during the summer season in July and August. Before your visit, check whether seasonal rentals are available on your chosen date. To get there, Vaas has a railway halt and is connected by the A28 motorway.

Discover more destinations: Champagné, Crissé, Chemiré-le-Gaudin, Coulombiers, Parigné-Le-Pôlin, Ruaudin, Allonnes, Coudrecieux.

For the broader travel overview: Sarthe.