Vivy: market gardens, the Authion, and the Monteaux reserve
A flat commune in the Val d'Anjou, 10 km north of Saumur, on signed cycling routes along the Authion river.
Where a former sand quarry became one of Maine-et-Loire's best birdwatching sites
Vivy sits in the Authion valley, a wide horticultural plain on the north bank of the Loire. The Plan d'Eau des Monteaux — an 11-hectare lake formed from a former gravel quarry — is now a classified sensitive natural area and ornithological reserve, managed with the LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux), with hides and observation points around the water. The Château des Coutures, a listed neoclassical building in the Palladian style built between 1835 and 1841, opens its exterior, French formal garden, and outbuildings to visitors in summer. Vivy is also a stop on the 'Entre Loire et Forêt' and 'L'Authion à Vélo' signed cycling networks, which run across flat lanes and river paths through the horticultural valley.
Things you can do here
Activities nearby
Canoe rentalArtannes-sur-Thouetabout 15 km, to the activity
Cycling the Authion valley on quiet lanes
The 'L'Authion à Vélo' and 'Entre Loire et Forêt' signed routes pass through Vivy on flat, low-traffic lanes along the Authion river and through market-garden country. The distances — up to 52 km on the full Authion route — are straightforward on an e-bike, leaving time to stop at the Monteaux reserve or the Château des Coutures without any pressure to cover ground quickly.
Birdwatching at the Monteaux reserve
The Réserve Ornithologique des Monteaux is right in Vivy, a short ride from the centre. Two ponds sit side by side: one is kept quiet for wildlife, the other is a leisure lake. Hides and interpretation panels are in place around the water. The LPO runs free guided sessions from autumn through spring. Getting here by e-bike from nearby villages means no parking to negotiate at the reserve entrance.
Marion
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Visited in September 2026
