LAYON RIVER
In Anjou, the Layon covers a 90-kilometre stretch before flowing into the Loire at Chalonnes-sur-Loire. These peaceful waters, that are sure to delight fishers of whitefish, boast a rich past. The Layon was canalized by the brother of King Louis XVI and then used to transport the famous wine that bears its name, but also coal at a time when the mines in Doué-la-Fontaine were booming. The canal was destroyed during the French Revolution, allowing the Layon to wind freely through the grapevine-covered hills and dales, as it still does today. There are multiple ways to enjoy magnificent views of the wine region: while hiking or cycling, but also on boat rides.
WINES AND VINEYARDS
The village of Saint-Georges-sur-Layon is located in the heart of Anjou’s wine region, within the Coteaux du Layon appellation area. That sweet, syrupy white is richly aromatic and is also one of the best-known wines in Anjou. The scenery of vineyards follows the course of the river, creating lines that hug the gently sloping hillsides from its source. Those inclines increase as the flows towards the Loire where, at its mouth, the waterway is truly steep-sided. This shapes scenery of remarkable beauty, with grapevines closely following the curves of both sides of the hillside vineyards. The shimmering colours of the vines in autumn herald the forthcoming harvest season. This is a period of intense activity in Anjou and our region. It’s also a great time to visit, when the first pressed juices are full of promising aromatics. Wine lovers will appreciate our Chenin, Sauvignon and Cabernet grapes. Our region offers a full range of both still and sparkling wines.
TOURISM: OUR COMMITMENT
Campground Les Grésillons is celebrating 20 years of activities and actions for the region’s environment, building connections between holidaymakers and local economic actors, but also preserving an extraordinary living environment through reduced energy spending, resource management, and more. In 2010, all this hard work earned the campground the honour of the European Green Key label, that recognizes its recipients solid environmental management, amongst other points. By fostering encounters between holidaymakers and regional economic actors who are involved in the preservation of our environment, Les Grésillons has helped to raise the awareness of a broader audience of people.
Our actions focus on raising our visitors’ awareness of this approach through activities and entertainment. These different local actions have been acknowledged in the form of two Vignobles & Découvertes labels, in recognition of our campground’s high-quality involvement in wine tourism, and then again in 2018, with the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park’s “Regional Nature Park Values” seal of approval.