The best traffic-free bike rides around Saint-Hilaire-De-Clisson

It's a particularly steep climb, even if it's short it stings!

Clisson Castle has quite a story to tell: first an impregnable fortress overlooking the Sèvre, then a ducal residence, and finally a romantic ruin. In the 12th century, the powerful lordship of Clisson built this stone castle with highly elaborate defensive architectural systems: arrow slits, gun ports, and slits. A strategic point protecting the border of the Duchy of Brittany in the 15th century, it was abandoned by its owners from the second half of the 17th century onward before being burned down by Republican troops in 1793. But, beyond its grand history, this castle also has a more historic significance! In 1807, François-Frédéric Lemot, creator of the Garenne Lemot estate (a picturesque landscape located on the other side of the river), was captivated by these ruins and purchased it to turn it into an ornamental factory. The château was declared a historic monument in 1924, before being acquired by the Loire-Atlantique department in 1962. Today, visitors can visit it, take a guided tour, or simply experience its history. A stop on the Journey through the Vineyard, it's a stopover during the wine tourism tour of Nantes' wine country, featuring natural sites, heritage features, characterful villages, and unique cellars.

The Trinity Church is getting a makeover in the heart of Clisson Off-limits since 2018, the Trinity Church in Clisson is undergoing extensive restoration work until 2027, accompanied by reinforcement and safety work. The Trinity Church in Clisson has been off-limits since 2018 due to pieces of tufa stone found on the floor of the building, raising concerns about safety issues. The restoration has been decided upon, along with reinforcement and safety work. This work is expected to continue until 2027. The construction site will soon be explained to the residents of Clisson, using signs. The artwork and furnishings have been protected and stored, tarpaulins protect the building and the workers, the vaults and framework will be restored, and the wall plasterwork will be examined and redone where necessary. The work will concern the side aisles until next summer, the nave for the following twelve months. Then it will be the turn of the choir and transepts between January 2026 and spring 2027, then the sacristy, the bell tower and the outbuildings.

The Church of the Trinity was originally a Benedictine priory, with a parish, dependent on the abbeys of Saint-Martin-de-Vertou and Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes. In the 11th century, it was occupied by the canons regular of the Order of Saint Augustine. In 1645, Fontevrist nuns from La Regrippière en Vallet settled there. The convent burned down in 1794 by the infernal columns of the Republican armies. From the 11th century onwards, the church had a choir with an apse, side chapels, and a square bell tower. In the 17th century, the Benedictine nuns replaced the Romanesque choir with an elongated one, featuring a remarkable Baroque altarpiece. They demolished the southern part of the choir to build their oratory. During the French Revolution, the church returned to the parish. Around 1867/1868, work was undertaken. The façade was redone in a neo-Romanesque style, while the neo-Gothic style was preferred for the interior of the religious monument.

The unmissable annual event for extreme music in France. Founded in 2006 and based in the small town of Clisson for 13 years, Hellfest has established itself as one of the leading European festivals offering extreme music. A veritable marathon of hardcore, punk, grind, death metal, and trash, accessible just a few minutes from Nantes by train. More than 160 artists from all over the world perform on six stages for four days of fury! Every June, Clisson becomes the international center of metal culture, attracting more than 100,000 festival-goers to a dedicated venue. In 2014, the Hellfest Festival presented "its" town with a symbolic guitar over 10 meters high (the work of artist J.-F. Buisson), comfortably installed on the Looksor roundabout near the grounds, which welcome more than 100,000 festival-goers each year. Visible from the road, we can see the permanent installations emblematic of the metal aesthetic

We stayed at the Durivum during this trip. This renovated house offers five spacious and bright bedrooms, featuring high-end bedding and hotel-like amenities. In addition, a small apartment for two people, located on the other side of the interior courtyard, allows you to feel right at home. To relax, a wellness area (private use €20/hour) equipped with a jacuzzi, a traditional sauna, a bathroom, a lounge with a billiards table is available year-round, as is the swimming pool, but only during peak season. Contact them directly; they are very friendly and attentive. 07 52 06 84 03

Fording depends on the water level of the river. Very nice place for lunch or a picnic.

These are the longest 150 meters in the area...