Circular walk in Préfailles

Préfailles was once a seaside resort renowned for the health benefits of its iron-rich spring, which has now almost dried up. You can explore it on this walk, along with the grand villas built during that era.
As you walk along the Sentier des Douaniers and the Chemin des Peintres, you’ll discover a rugged stretch of the Côte de Jade with its beaches and crystal-clear waters.

Details

3496714
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.06 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 131 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 144 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 118 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 13 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Préfailles (44770)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.127977° / W 2.220023°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1123OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Grande Plage car park.

(S/E) With your back to the beach, walk up Avenue de la Plage Eric Tabarly and cross Rue du Plateau, Rue de la Chapelle and Rue du Paraclet.
Turn right and walk up Grande Rue. Pass Rue du Bazar, Rue Sainte Marie and Rue des Vagues on your right, then turn left onto Rue de la Mairie.
At the roundabout, take the second exit on the left, Rue de la Renaudière.

(1) Turn onto the path on the right, cross Chemin de la Croix Martin and continue to the roundabout.

(2) Go round the roundabout on the right and take the first exit, Chemin des Cardinaux.
Cross Rue de la Haute Musse and continue along Chemin de la Levertrie. Ignore the Vélocéan cycle route on your right. At the junction, turn right onto Chemin de la Levertrie.

(3) Take the first exit on the left, Chemin du Pointeau. Pass Chemin de la Palette on your right and continue left onto Chemin des Beaux Pierres. Ignore Chemin de Choizeau on your right and carry on left towards La Raitrerie.

(4) Turn right onto Chemin de Kerbidet.

(5) At the end, do not continue along the tarmac road but carry on left onto Chemin de Kerbidet, which winds through the vegetation. At the end of this short wooded section, follow Chemin de Kerbidet to the right, heading towards the sea (south).

(6) Head left towards Les Clos. At the next junction, turn right.

(7) Turn left onto a newly laid or resurfaced track. Pass a pond on your left. At the end of this new track, take the road on the right towards the sea.

(8) At the car park, head left towards Pormain Beach. At the second car park, turn right.

(9) Keep left onto the road to Plage du Portmain.

(10) Return to Préfailles via the Chemin des Douaniers, following theGR®8to the right, heading west.

(11) You’ll reach Plage de l’Étang, where a footbridge takes you over a stream. Continue along theGR®8 and pass Port Meleu beach.

(12) Pass the iron-rich spring, then Margaret Beach, and arrive at Grande Plage (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 33 ft - Car park at Préfailles’ main beach
  2. 1 : mi 0.65 - alt. 105 ft - Chemin des Cardinaux
  3. 2 : mi 1.12 - alt. 108 ft - Roundabout
  4. 3 : mi 1.78 - alt. 115 ft - Chemin Pointeau
  5. 4 : mi 2.14 - alt. 105 ft - Kerbidet Path
  6. 5 : mi 2.38 - alt. 89 ft - On the left: Chemin de Kerbidet
  7. 6 : mi 2.68 - alt. 95 ft - Turn left at the junction towards Les Clos
  8. 7 : mi 2.84 - alt. 85 ft - New path
  9. 8 : mi 3.37 - alt. 75 ft - Car park
  10. 9 : mi 3.78 - alt. 43 ft - Road to Pormain Beach
  11. 10 : mi 3.9 - alt. 23 ft - Coastal path
  12. 11 : mi 4.65 - alt. 13 ft - Étang Beach
  13. 12 : mi 6.2 - alt. 33 ft - The Ferrugineous Spring
  14. S/E : mi 7.06 - alt. 30 ft - Car park at Préfailles’ main beach

Notes

This walk can be done in trainers if you don’t have walking boots.

Toilets:
The large beach at Préfailles,
Pormain Beach,
Port Meuleu beach.

Worth a visit

Near Préfailles:
Pointe Saint-Gildas, the semaphore station and the German defence lines.
Pornic: the old harbour, the castle.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Joël Aumaille
Joël Aumaille

Hello,

Unfortunately, the issue of cyclists and walkers sharing the path is becoming increasingly common.
I’ll try to bear your comment in mind in future.
Kind regards

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psca
psca

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The countryside isn’t particularly interesting; the paths are actually very busy cycle routes. The seaside is magnificent.

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petitsmollets27
petitsmollets27

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk along the coast, but the route description for the inland section was a bit unclear.

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Kaloo
Kaloo

Last Tuesday I set off on this walk... the description sounded great... but as there were no signposts and I didn’t have a map, I had to give up... what a shame...

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Soizig87
Soizig87
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A walk taken at the end of the tourist season, in lovely weather. There were lots of people on the coastal path. It’s very wide – almost like a track – with no incline, and is used by both cyclists and pedestrians. The view is magnificent. There are paths leading down to coves and beaches where you can swim in complete tranquillity.
However, the start of the route inland isn’t particularly interesting (too much tarmac).

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Neutenq
Neutenq

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely circular walk.
Although, as is often the case, the inland section is rather uninteresting, the coastal walk is magnificent.
We didn’t encounter any difficulties and the route was clearly marked.
Thank you!

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