Medieval Mouliherne and its 12th century church with unique twisted spire is 3 miles (5 km) away, and there are plentiful peaceful walks and bike-rides through the woods and fields. Locally we have horse riding stables both in Mouliherne and Vernoil. Our friends next door (1 kilometre away!) are happy to have you visit their goat farm at milking time where you can watch (and often take part) in milking! You can also buy the freshest, creamiest goat's milk too. If you're a cheese fan, you can order from them the cheeses made from milk from their goats on Tuesdays for delivery to you, on site, on Friday. Honestly, it's brilliant fun, and in early season you may be asked to feed the babies too!
The elegant city of Saumur, with its fortress-chateau, multi-arched bridges, and houses built in local tufa limestone, is a 20 minute drive. Stu (and the Michelin Guide) rate the Musée des Blindes tank museum (00 33 2 41 53 06 99). The town has a great market on Saturdays on Place St Pierre and is an appellation renowned for its sparkling white wines. There are many small, independent wine makers within an easy drive of Le Chant, though the immediate area is primarily devoted to apple growing. The nearest vineyards are at Bourgueil, Saumur, Benais, Allonnes. This is chateaux country - the Valley of Kings and there are lovely chateaux fairly locally at Baugé, Clairfontaine, Brézé, Gizeaux, Montgeoffroy, and Montsoreau (all around 20-30 minutes away) with the monastery and abbey at Fontrevraud a little further; Richard the Lionheart, Henry II, and Alienor of Aquitaine are all buried there. The chateaux towns of Angers, Chinon, Blois, Chambord, Chenonceau and many more are further still, and really worth the trip out.
Around an hour and a half away by road, at Les Espesses, is the mind blowing Grand Parc Puy du Fou. Words alone don't come close to describing the magic of the Grand Parc. It has to be experienced to be believed, so - if you do one thing whilst you're here, it should be this!
There's everything in the area from museums to river boat cruises to shopping to markets. History, a stunning landscape, beautiful sleepy towns and villages. Nightlife if you want it, quiet bars for people watching if you don't.
With so much to see and do, both locally and within a very short car journey away, Le Chant d'Oiseau is always at the centre of your French holiday.