Thouars: a walled town on a rock above the Thouet

La Vélo Francette passes through Thouars as a waypoint on its Normandy-to-Atlantic route, with the section along the Thouet valley running on quiet roads and tracks between Montreuil-Bellay and Airvault. The terrain around the town includes the climb up to and down from the promontory — a real barrier on a plain bike. ease-see's e-bikes absorb that gradient so the ride stays useful rather than punishing, and the distances between towns along the river become straightforward half-day rides rather than commitments requiring road-cycling fitness.

The local canoe-kayak club runs hire from the river below the château, with a route that passes directly under the Château des Ducs de La Trémoïlle and the Pont des Chouans — the kind of view of the town that you don't get on foot. Paddling under your own power is the barrier: it requires confidence in the water and reasonable upper-body fitness. ease-see's e-boats on the Thouet make this same stretch reachable for people who want the river perspective without the physical effort of paddling.