Vaas is located on the banks of the Loir. The Moulin de Rotrou on the Loir is a watermill from the 16th century that is still in operation. As part of various sightseeing options, visitors can discover the mill, its waterwheel and machinery, as well as the Musée du Blé au Pain. The museum offers guided or self-guided tours covering grain, historical equipment for cultivation and threshing, a mill with millstones, and a bakery with an oven.
Culture
The Église Notre-Dame in Vaas, the former royal abbey church of Vaas, is protected as a historic monument; the listing was recorded on 16 February 1926. It was restored in the 12th century and features Plantagenet vaults and 14th-century frescoes.
Vaas has more than two thousand years of history. This includes a Bronze Age dolmen, a Roman Condita, and the later Notre-Dame de Vaas abbey. The Dolmen de la Pierre Couverte is located in Vaas in the area known by the land or place name “la Pierre Couverte”.
Nature and Trails
La Prée d'Amont in the vicinity of Vaas consists of reed beds and several dozen hectares of wet meadows. A path crosses the area and allows visitors to discover the remarkable species found there. A visitor guide for the area is available from Vaas Town Hall or can be requested from the Sarthe Département.
From Vaas, visitors can explore the Loir Valley from east to west; it stretches from La Chartre-sur-le-Loir via Racan to Durtal and encompasses three départements and two regions.
There are 18 different hiking routes starting from Vaas, covering a total distance of 292 km. Four circular routes starting at the Espace Culturel lead to the former abbey and its chapel, a cave settlement, châteaux, town houses, a former mushroom-growing facility, and other historic residential buildings. “Vaas – La grande boucle” is a challenging 27.0 km hiking route and a yellow-marked Sentier de Promenade et de Randonnée (PR) trail in Vaas. The route passes through typical landscapes of the Loir Valley, with a tree-lined river, hamlets, farms, grand houses, apple orchards, and former watermills.
Water
Vaas has a fishing area accessible to people with reduced mobility. The A.A.P.P.M.A. Vaas manages 6.4 km of public fishing waters on the Loir between the Barrage du Bruant and the Barrage de Cherré. The body of water at Vaas, at the Étang de la Gare, is a one-hectare second-category fishing water.
Les Pélicans du Loir rent canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand-up paddleboards on weekends in July and August during the summer season. Jet-Extrême Vaas invites visitors at weekends to discover jet skis, towable tubes, and flyboarding.
Festivals and Food
The Fête de la pomme et des produits du terroir takes place annually in Vaas. As part of the Fête de la pomme, orchard tours as well as walks and mountain bike outings are offered.
The Fête du Blé au Pain is held regularly at the Moulin de Rotrou; the 2026 edition was the 24th and included the production of flour through to baking bread in a wood-fired oven. The Fête des Fouées is a family event held in June at the Moulin de Rotrou, centred around fouées, small breads filled according to taste.
Getting There
Vaas has a railway stop on the Tours–Château-du-Loir–Le Mans–Alençon–Caen railway line and is connected by the A28 motorway.
Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Vaas can select Vaas as their destination.
Other places: Mézières-Sous-Lavardin, Le Lude, Saint-Jean-De-La-Motte, Beaumont-Pied-De-Boeuf, Poncé-Sur-Le-Loir, Le Grand-Lucé, Cré, Aigné.
