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Starting point: Quai de l’Amiral Lalande, Port du Mans.
The walk is signposted in orange
(S/E) With your back to the harbour, turn right onto Quai Amiral Lalande (cycle path running in the opposite direction to the traffic) and continue to the Gambetta Bridge.
(1) Cross the River Sarthe, then turn left onto the cycle path along the quay. Cross Rue de la Galère and continue straight on for 1 km, following the Gallo-Roman wall. Carry on along Quai Louis Blanc, then continue straight on at the three roundabouts. Pass the Moulin Renard and carry on to the junction with Rue Saint-Pavace and its cycle path.
(2) Follow this street, which becomes Rue Rabelais, then Rue de Nice and Rue de Provence. Pass through Coulaines and arrive in Saint-Pavace. Carry on straight ahead until you reach the four-lane road.
(3) Go under the bridge and turn left immediately to take the path leading to the River Sarthe. At the end, turn right and follow the riverbank until you reach the chain ferry.
(4) Discover the chain ferry which allows you to cross the river. The ‘Capalvi’ is open from mid-March to mid-October; these dates may vary depending on water levels and weather conditions. Then continue along the path with the River Sarthe on your left. You’ll reach the ruins of the Moulin aux Moines.
(5) Ignore all the paths on the right and stay along the river until you reach the eco-grazing area.
(6) Then turn right to perform a circular route around the eco-grazing area and the arboretum (trees planted to mark the births of children in the local area). Return along the River Sarthe.
(5) Turn left and follow the same path back to the four-lane road.
(3) Go under the four-lane road towards Coulaines. Cross the road and take thefirst path on the left. Head uphill until you reach a tarmac path. Turn left and you will reach the Route de Coulaines.
(7) Turn right towards Coulaines and follow the road until you reach Boulevard Saint-Nicolas at the roundabout opposite the Collège Jean Cocteau.
(8) Take the cycle path on the right. Pass three roundabouts and you’ll reach the park on your right.
(9) Enter Parc François Mitterrand and follow the ‘Boulevard Nature’ signposting. Take a path that passes in front of the Braque Sports Centre and exits onto Rue Molière. First turn left then right to reach another park.
(10) Enter Parc de l’Abri, continuing straight on until you reach Rue Corneille. Turn left and join the cycle path on Boulevard Saint-Michel. Turn right, then leave the boulevard at thefirst roundabout. Turn left onto Rue de Tallin and follow Boulevard Nature, taking the path between numbers 10 and 12. Cross Rue de Ballon and continue opposite into a playground. Cross Rue de Vilnius, then go through a park. Go straight on at Rue Banjan until you find yourself facing a park.
(11) Enter Parc Banjan and keep to the right at all times to exit onto Rue de Bellevue. Leave Boulevard Nature and head straight on to its terminus at the tram stop.
(12) Turn right onto Rue des Maillets and walk past Le Mans Cathedral. At the roundabout, carry straight on along Avenue Rostov-sur-le-Don. Pass by the town hall (the former Palais des Comtes du Maine) and the École des Beaux-Arts, where the Gallo-Roman thermal baths are located, and head for the third junction after the town hall, Rue de la Galère, on the right.
(13) Take this street, then cross the Pont Perrin over the River Sarthe. At the end of the bridge, turn left onto Quai de l’Amiral Lalande.
(1) Continue straight ahead to the harbour (S/E).
