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Head to the village of Bouguenais and go down to the valley quay.
(S) The starting point is on the valley quay at the car park not far from the bridge, which you will need to take to join the boatmen's path on your left. Follow this path to the village of Port Lavigne.
(1). Cross the village to the boat park. Go around the car park and you will find yourself on Île de la Fourche. Continue straight ahead through the dunes until you reach the end of the boardwalk in the reed beds. Keep your eyes peeled: there is a cheetah in the poplar tree on your right and a group of monkeys in the ash trees on the banks of the Loire.
(2) Cross the small bridge, continue straight ahead and cross three more bridges.
(3) At the end of the path, turn right for 300 metres and take the small staircase opposite you at the small car park.
Climb this steep path to follow the top of the Roche Ballue quarry on your left. You can admire a wonderful panorama of the city of Nantes and a bird's eye view of the Roche Ballue leisure centre.
When you reach a small square with a bench, turn left, head towards the entrance to the village of La Motte, then turn right and take the path through the chestnut grove. On your left, in the middle of the field, stands a magnificent hundred-year-old cedar tree. Go around this field on the left at the next crossroads. Go down into the woods and, at the next junction on your right, continue downhill to the end of the woods at the edge of the marshy area. Take the path that climbs up on your left and head towards the village of Roche Ballue.
(4) When you reach the road, go up for about ten metres and take the alley on your right in the heart of the village, then take the sunken path on your left. Follow this path almost to the end and turn left. Then go around a housing estate to reach the village of La Ravardière. Continue straight ahead and cross the village.
(5) Take the path opposite the junction with the Bouguenais-La Montagne road.
This road will take you into the countryside.
(6) Turn left and follow the meadow.
(7) Follow the road on the right, turn left until you reach the village of La Mouchonnerie. Go through this village, ignore the road that turns right at a right angle and continue straight ahead for 300 metres along a winding road. Ignore the road on the left, after 50 metres, turn left again onto another almost straight road until you reach the village of La Matrasserie.
(8) At the entrance to the village, go down the steps on your left, where a magnificent bald cypress tree has its pneumatophores (roots) in the water. Follow this path along the stream and you will be greeted by a pair of donkeys, turkeys and Ouessant sheep.
When you reach the road, turn left and continue for 100 metres, then take the path on your right through the woods along the stream.
(9) At the end of the woods, join the road and go straight up to your right towards the village of Bouguenais.
(10) At the roundabout with a fishing sign, turn left onto the Route du Port Lavigne and continue for 800 metres. At the bottom of the hill, turn right and follow the towpath for 1.5 kilometres: you will arrive back at your starting point (E).
Highly recommended! Thank you for this hike!
Visorando member
Moderate 
