Bois des Mauriers towards the Chaos du Gouët from Plaintel

In the village of Plaintel and from Saint-Brieuc, head uphill towards Plédran/Ploeuc, take the second street on the right (signs for Salles Omnisports, Salle Notre-Dame).

(S/E) The start is at the car parks between the Genêts d'Or sports complex and Kergomard Nursery School (an alternative start is available from Crapado, Espace Océane, at the far end of the car parks, with information boards detailing the trails: mountain bike station). Walk up the street to reach the Stop sign.

(1) Cross the road (D22) to reach Rue de La Porte Perrio on the opposite side. Continue along the left-hand pavement until you reach the sharp right-hand bend leading down a steep slope.

(2) As you come out of the bend, turn right onto the gravel track (Chemin du Cran). After 300 m, ignore the path on the left (signpost and junction of the route with the start from Crapado). Arrive at the hamlet of La Noë Morvue

(3) At the junction with the road, turn right, pass in front of the Prairies Noë to cross the hamlet uphill. After 100 m, climb the embankment on the left (Yellow Arrow; Chemin des Trois courtils). Follow the path downhill (tricky section in winter) then up a steep slope and across a flat area in a meadow before rejoining the tarmac road.

(4) Walk down the road for 50 m. Take the path on the left [Yellow Arrow]. Below on the right, look out for a wash house. Continue downhill over the rocks (Chemin du Passage des Brebis).

(5) At the bottom, tackle a tricky section to cross a stream. Turn right (Sentier du Ruset) and head slightly uphill between a slope and a hillside of the Bois des Mauriers. Ignore the paths on the left.

(6) At the top, turn right to join the road and follow it to the right for 50 m. At the start of the bend, take the path on the left [Yellow Arrow]. The path descends briefly at first, then climbs for nearly 400 m. You are now on the Chemin du Clos d’en bas.

(7) Turn left into the clearing and head downhill (Yellow Arrow). There is a signpost with information on walks here. At the edge of a field, on a path, quickly take the clearing on the left (Chemin des Roussettes). Continue for 1 km, first through woodland, then along the edge of fields, until you reach a road at La Ville Neuve.

(8) Follow it to the left, between the two houses (Yellow Arrow on a post opposite), for 500 m, until you reach a road at a junction.

(9) Cross at the pedestrian crossing and continue straight ahead up the narrow lane (Yellow Arrow; Chemin des Mauriers). Continue uphill for 400 m until you pass a gate (ignore the paths on the left).

(10) Just after the hill, turn right (Yellow Arrow; Chemin de Boulé) to leave the woods 50 m further on. Follow the path down a gentle slope until you reach a road, which you follow to the left for 50 m (Saudraie wash house).

(11) Take the path on the left uphill (Yellow Arrow; Chemin des Saules). Opposite, the path narrows, first climbing steeply, then descending slightly.

(12) Turn right twice, first onto the path, then immediately onto the trail (Yellow Arrow; Sentier des Fées). Ignore all paths to the left and right. The route, initially rough, becomes spectacular on a steep descent with, on the right, a wooded slope of majestic trees and, on the left below, the Rocher Margot.

(13) After a slight climb, the path turns downhill to the left [Yellow Arrow], with a tricky section following heavy rain, to reach a dead-end road which you follow downhill to the left and round a bend to the right after a hump. Follow the road for 500 m to reach the Quartier Chanet (ignore a road on the right).

(14) Cross the Quartier Chanet, ignoring the road to the right and the path to the left at the junction. After a gentle climb with hairpin bends, turn right twice to take the path that overlooks the Quartier Chanet and heads left into the woodland on a gentle ascent (Sentier du Bois de la Salle). This marks the start of an interesting climb of ~1.5 km.

(15) Cross a road at a hump, before heading down the path that continues straight ahead for 500 m (Venelle du Clos Merlet).

(16) Cross a road by turning right then left, then take the path immediately on the left between two fields (Chemin de la Grand Ville) to reach a dead-end street, which you follow downhill to arrive at a junction with the Route du Grand Plessis.

(17) Follow the road to the right for less than 200 m, then turn right into the dead-end street Le Grand Plessis (Yellow Arrow). Continue along the path and, at the end, turn right.

(18) Start bypassing a business park (warehouses) on a grassy path that climbs slightly and curves to the left over a hill, running alongside a fence, to reach a road after 700 m. Follow it along the left-hand side before taking it downhill to pass under a road bridge and continue straight on to pass under a railway bridge (ignore the paths to the left and right and the road to the left).

(19) Take the left-hand pavement after a climb; at the junction, turn left onto Rue Dolo [Yellow Arrow] then continue straight on along the grassy path (Chemin de la Fontaine Saint Gilles; Yellow Arrow). At the end, turn right, then left between a slope and some houses. Continue along this often tricky, poorly maintained and very damp path until you reach a road.

(20) Cross at the pedestrian crossing [Yellow Arrow] and continue left for less than 300 m before turning right (signposted Les Chaos du Gouët and Rue La Gare).

(21) Follow Rue La Gare, which curves to the right (ignore the road on the left), for less than 300 m until you reach the start of a path (Yellow Arrow and mountain bike signs, la Ville au Vacher).

(22) Continue along this track for 700 m; it curves to the left and becomes shaded before a fairly steep descent, in places over rocks, to a tricky, muddy section (very muddy in winter).

(23) Keep the stream, a tributary of the Gouët, on your right and follow it, keeping it on your right at all times. Follow the stream, cross a footbridge, pass a bridge on your right, spot a pretty waterfall, cross muddy sections (very muddy in winter) and a few rocks, then follow the path to reach a very steep road.

(24) After 100 m of a very steep climb on tarmac, take the path on the right which runs downhill alongside the fence of the Moulin du Richard estate. Ignore the paths on the right and continue along the track which leads up a slope opening onto the road; follow this road uphill to the right (Yellow Arrow). Follow the road to the end (it curves to the left; ignore the road on the right) and turn right uphill (Yellow Arrow) until you reach the shaded path (Chemin des Pommiers) [Yellow Arrow].

(25) Take the gently ascending path that curves to the right (ignore the path on the left to follow the Chemin de Côté) and go straight on after a crossroads, then downhill along a very narrow path (Venelle du Champ d’en bas) which leads to a wash house and a road; follow this for 100 m before turning right. Walk past the Ville Gruelle and follow the gravel path for 600 m (Chemin des Bruyères) before turning right.

(26) Pass the house on your right and ignore a path branching off to the right further on. The route first turns right then left before a descent, at the bottom of which you turn left [Yellow Arrow]. Reach Le Germain / Ruisseau de Saint-Germain (a tributary of the Gouët), which you follow along its right bank on a path strewn with numerous roots. Leave the stream and head uphill to a residential area. Continue downhill to the right until you reach the dangerous junction with the D790, which you should cross with care. Go straight on for 400 m (Les Isles du Rillan; YellowArrow ) before taking the path on the left up a steep climb (Yellow Arrow).

(27) Follow the path for 600 m to reach a road, pass the railway line on the right and take the path on the left opposite the farm, heading downhill (Chemin du lavoir du pas; Yellow Arrow). Follow this path for 600 m: the path is initially exposed, then turns right into the cover of the undergrowth, which you follow to the left (Chemin de la Hautière; ignore the path that dives right into a bend). Join the Route de la Pierrelée.

(28) To return to the starting point, turn right past the warehouses, then turn left downhill to pass under a road bridge and head up Rue du Parc des sports. You’ll come out onto a square.

(29) Pass to the right of the town hall, go round the church, cross the road and take the uphill Rue Notre-Dame, turning right in front of the chapel. Follow the Rue du Beau Chemin downhill, taking a left-hand bend, to head back up towards the car parks at the start.

(12) There are numerous alternative routes available to extend your ride in the Bois des Mauriers between the Sentier des Fées and the Sentier du Ruset.
(13) Alternative route to avoid the tricky section, after the slight climb: take the MTB trail uphill to the right, then after 200–300 m switch downhill to the left.
(19) Alternative route to avoid the tricky section: instead of taking Rue Dolo to the left, continue straight on (Chemin Croix Dolo) to join the D790 and follow it on the left-hand side for 300 m.
(23) Numerous possible alternatives: climb up to Les Prétoquis, reach Sainte-Anne du Houlin by taking the bridge on the right and continuing right along the left bank of the Gouët: start of Les Chaos leading to Sainte-Anne du Houlin).
(27) Return to Espace Océane: from the junction with Route de la Pierrelée opposite the warehouses on the right, take Le Verger Fleuri opposite, then at the end carefully cross the D700 (2 pedestrian crossings), go round the roundabout on the right (small gravel path) then cross the road before the shopping centre car park, to take the path which climbs slightly to reach some houses, then onRue de la Ville Gourelle turn left and immediately right onto a path (Chemin de la Hautière), then left and immediately right [mountain bike and trail signs] to head down a path that leads back to the Espace Océane car parks to the right of the houses.

The Bois des Mauriers, the Rocher Margot, the Chaos du Gouët.