Saint-Joachim walks

Discover the islands of Saint-Joachim and some of the islands of Saint-Malo-de-Guersac by bike, with some beautiful views of the Brière marshes.

Walk along the edge of the Grande Brière. As you circle the village, you will discover meadows sometimes flooded by the rising spring waters, separated by the canals you will be walking alongside. In Rozé, you can climb up to a viewpoint to enjoy a view of the entire Grande Brière.

Farming in the marshes has always relied on mowing and grazing the meadows when they were no longer covered in water. Cows prefer dry land to the aquatic environment, and providing them with winter refuge areas is key to ensuring the continuation of this farming practice. This route invites you to discover the pastures of La Chapelle des Marais.

This route runs between the Brière and Mès marshes. These two protected wetlands are home to numerous birds, which you may spot along the way.

Remnants of a time when much of what enabled the people of Bréca to make a living was extracted from the marsh, thatched cottages are still very much in evidence around Saint-Lyphard. There are said to be no fewer than 500 of them. To discover this exceptional heritage, why not hop on your bike and explore the narrow roads and farm tracks that criss-cross the Saint-Lyphard area? A complete change of scenery is guaranteed!

Walk around Pontchâteau and the surrounding area – Le Calvaire – Bodio – Return via Pontchâteau town centre You can ask for a map of the Calvary walk at the Tourist Information Office before you set off, or download it from the internet.

A Sunday stroll through the woods of Coët-Roz, the venue for the French, European and World Cyclo-cross Championships. Nature and bird lovers will be in their element. Mountain bikers will appreciate the challenging terrain. Another special mountain bike route is described.

On your way to and from Pontchâteau town centre, discover the Brière marshes. With a bit of luck (in season), you may spot a nest of storks.

A short walk to explore Pontchâteau from above and below the viaduct, taking you through the marshes and the town centre.

The Château de Ranrouët is a medieval gem nestled on the edge of the marshes. Here, there is no fortified rock, but a slight elevation in the greenery. The marshes that surround it provided protection, and the proposed route winds through the surrounding countryside where land and water constantly mix.

La Brière, France's second largest freshwater marsh, is a secret land hidden behind the surrounding hedgerows. The suggested route allows you to explore it from the land bordering it to the west and even catch a glimpse of it from the Sandun hill, which rises to a height of 28 metres. A real mountain in this flat country!But be careful, marshes are best explored when the water level allows it.Circuit temporarily closed

Passing through clay extraction sites and former pottery villages, this route pays tribute to one of Herbignac’s traditional trades, which continued until the mid-20th century.

This small village of 18 thatched-roof houses was acquired in the 1970s by the Brière Regional Nature Park with the intention of renovating it and turning it into a showcase of traditional Brière housing. Kerhinet is a village situated to the south-west of the municipality of Saint-Lyphard, on the western side of the marshes. The village is open to visitors free of charge. You can enjoy a drink or an ice cream on site. There is a picnic area as well as free, designated parking.

This hike allows you to discover the different faces of Brière: its marshes, its thatched cottages, its flora and fauna. Lots of paths, a few roads, all lined with oak trees, pines, gorse, willows and chestnut trees. Superb!

Discover the many facets of the city: the port, museums, the Loire estuary, the beach, beautiful mansions, parks and shopping streets.

Although Herbignac is not the commune in Brière with the most thatched cottages, the villages along this route offer some fine examples.

A route to walk alongside the Loire River as it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. In Saint-Nazaire-Plage, the seaside promenade is very popular with Nazairians. It is open to the Loire estuary and its maritime traffic. Further on, on the beautiful coastal path, open to the south, and shaded by pine trees, you sometimes have the feeling of being on the edge of the Mediterranean. ⚠️ Hiking poles prohibited on the Nazairian coastal path

The Mès, a small coastal river in the north of the Guérande peninsula, flows through a low, wide valley consisting mainly of marshes, draining the water into the ocean. The proposed route allows you to discover the upper part of these marshes and cross them via the Gras bridge, an ancient stone footbridge. This route should only be attempted when the water level in the marshes allows the paths surrounding them to be used.

A walk for the family. On this lake, you can go kayaking and rowing. You’ll come across people out walking, cycling, riding BMX bikes and jogging. Carp fishing is permitted but regulated (see geocarp.com). Introduction to Optimist sailing at the water sports centre. Whoever you are, you’ll leave feeling happy with your day.

A pleasant walk starting from Place Bougainville in St-Brévin-les-Pins, first following the beach southwards, then turning north through the village centre to explore the countryside before returning along the Loire.

A lovely walk that will allow you to discover the Nazaire countryside and the riches of the coast, whilst tracing history through the remains of the Second World War as well as prehistoric times.

Situated about ten kilometres inland from the coast, on a plateau sloping down from the banks of the Vilaine to the first marshes of Briéron, the commune of Férel has managed to preserve its bocage landscape and a network of paths offering a wide range of walking options. This route offers an almost constant view of the bell tower, which, being tall and sharply pointed, is one of the area’s main landmarks.

This route allows you to explore the lesser-known areas behind Pornichet than the coastal path.

A very pretty route which starts in the countryside and forest and then follows the course of the Vilaine river. The start and finish are at the very pretty port of La Roche-Bernard.

Although La Roche-Bernard is an urban centre that locals refer to as a ‘town’, its area (40 ha) and population (approx. 700 inhabitants) make it one of the smallest county towns in France. It is surrounded by the communes of Nivillac, Herbignac and Férel, across which the majority of the urban area is spread. The proposed route takes you around the area.

On theGR®®34, along the Loire estuary, from the Ville ès Martin lighthouse to Pointe de Chémoulin. Two return trips, which can be adjusted as desired, starting from the Plage de la Courance car park.Please note! To avoid a long and unpleasant detour, it is best to start this hike at low tide.

An hour-and-a-half circuit with a few tricky sections. This pleasant walk alternates seamlessly between passages at water's edge and ridge-climbing, and also spans two bridges some 50 m above the Vilaine. The bridge circuit allows you to discover a small section of the river as it crosses the Sillon de Bretagne. Get your calves ready!

As you approach La Roche-Bernard, the Vilaine river winds its way through the geological folds of southern Armorica. The result is a rugged, wooded landscape that is very pleasant to walk through.

This route, which starts at Monsieur Hulot Beach in Saint-Marc-sur-Mer, allows you to enjoy the coastal path and pass through wooded areas.

A round trip hike to admire the Loire estuary. From Sainte Marguerite beach, take the coastal path linking beautiful sandy beaches to Saint-Marc beach, where Jacques Tati's film "Les vacances de monsieur Hulot" (1953) was shot. A statue of Mr Hulot watches over the beach eternally.

On theGR®®34, between Petite Vallée Beach and Pointe du Bé, passing by Pointe de Chémoulin, a beautiful site on the Côte Sauvage, then along the dune cordon of Old Pornichet and beautiful beaches.

The coastal path between Saint-Nazaire and Pornichet undoubtedly showcases one of the most beautiful aspects of the Guérande Peninsula. Dotted with coves with a Mediterranean feel – save for the colour of the water – the GR® 34 winds its way between cliffs and unassuming villas, far from the nearby urban hustle and bustle. And to round things off, there’s nothing quite like a circular rural route that you wouldn’t expect to find in such a heavily urbanised part of the Côte d’Amour.

A pleasant, easy walk along the banks of the Vilaine through wooded countryside, forests and small villages. The path is fully signposted in white and red by theGR®39(left bank) andGR®349(right bank).

As is often the case in Brittany, the landscape is not the result of tectonic forces, which would have created a few sharp-peaked mountains, but rather the result of numerous watercourses that have carved their way through the plateaus. The proximity of the Vilaine, which flows here through a narrow, steep-sided valley, has led secondary watercourses to cut through the moorland to join the river. Starting on the wooded plateau, the proposed route soon winds its way through these valleys, which, due to the decline of agriculture or the low value of this poor soil, have been left to more or less spontaneous woodland growth. The result is a undulating route that runs mostly in the shade of tall, beautiful trees, whilst connecting the countless hamlets that dot this lovely countryside.

The village of Arzal stretches from the foot of the church's pointed bell tower to the edge of the dam. Upstream, the river has become a huge body of water where thousands of boats are moored, while downstream, the maritime character of the estuary remains. The proposed route allows you to discover both aspects of the river and the bocage that overlooks it.