Brocéliande day 1/2

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Please note that I only did a small part of this trail to make a day circular, up to point 2 (then back to Paimpont via the Cannée PR to make a circular), so my opinion only applies to this section!
I found the trail uninteresting until I reached the forest at point 2 (fields, small roads with no forest or specific sites). So I was disappointed not to be able to stay longer in this part, which was much prettier. In addition, you have to cross the river to reach the junction with the GR 37, which was impossible without getting your feet wet in early May, but probably OK later in the season as the stream is likely to be smaller then

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Date of your route : May 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, the edge of the AFF is magnificent at this time of year: peaceful, few walkers on most of the route. I made a detour via the Forges de Paimpont, but found them closed to visitors .
it was my second day of hiking; the first day through the northern part of the forest is much less beautiful.

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Date of your route : Jul 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful first day of a circular in the Paimpont forest. Our only regret was that there was no water in the rivers. Better to do this in spring rather than summer! No gunshots along the route along the Aff! The Val sans retour at the end of the route was very pretty but also very busy.

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Date of your route : Jul 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A good route for a real forest walk. In the height of summer, I only came across a few people during the first 15 kilometres, and none at all for several kilometres. The path follows the Aff, the river that separates Ille-et-Vilaine from Morbihan, for a long stretch (it dries up in summer, which is normal).

Several negative comments:
- The path is moderately maintained in some sections but is still passable.
- The Saint Cyr Coëtquidan military training ground is right next door (the path is wedged between the military ground and the Aff for many kilometres), so don't be surprised to hear gunshots almost throughout your walk. I think I can say that not 10 minutes went by without me hearing a series of gunshots between the exit of the village of Paimpont and the approach to Tréhorenteuc. So you won't find perfect tranquillity if that's what you're looking for.
- I strongly advise against this route if you are a little afraid of insects. You probably wouldn't go for a walk in the forest if you were afraid of insects, but there's a big difference between the wide sections of the path where there aren't many insects and they don't bother you, and the narrow sections where you have to move branches out of the way and swarms of flies and other small creatures buzz around you and land on you. These sections make up a good quarter of the route.

On the plus side:
- The last quarter of the walk is really pleasant and offers some lovely things to see.

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Date of your route : Sep 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Some difficulty finding the start.

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Date of your route : Apr 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Second day of hiking from Beignon. The start of the route along the River Aff is a treat for the senses.
The trail is very pleasant.
We changed the route after point 4 to head south to Trecesson Castle, which is well worth a visit.
We hesitated a little at the giants' tomb because the paths are sorely lacking in signposts.
Similarly, we didn't see the Hôtié de Viviane, which is not signposted when walking along the GR 37.
We were a little disappointed with the Lac le Miroir aux Fées, which seemed less magical than the one higher up.
Once you reach Tehorenteuc, fellow hikers, discover the Church of the Grail. It is a gem. A crazy number of symbols can be found there. The paintings and stained glass windows are magnificent. It is a magical place thanks to the hard work of Abbot Gillard.
This hike is very pleasant and allows you to feel (a little) of the magic of Brocéliande.

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Date of your route : Aug 10, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

I just did this route and really enjoyed the route that winds through the heart of the Forest of Brocéliande, a forest and trail that have retained their wild character. There aren't many people around, so it's perfect for those who like to hike alone.
A little tip to get the most out of your hike: plan your route with tourist guides who will give you a quick reminder of the legends inspired by this place and help you avoid missing any points of interest that are sometimes well hidden.
Finally, some practical information:
- the GPS track on my mobile phone gave me a total distance of 25.5 km from Paimpont to Tréhorenteuc, so be aware of the distance, as the last few kilometres can be difficult for people who don't hike regularly.
- there are no shops open in Tréhorenteuc, and it can be difficult to find taps to fill your water bottles (unless you ask the locals, but there aren't many around).
- For sleeping, it's easy to find a place to camp, but be aware that these are private forests, so...

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Date of your route : Aug 27, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike done with my 10- and 7-year-old daughters: we set off on the hike with an overnight bivouac, carrying backpacks (tent, sleeping bags, etc.). The route is really pleasant, and it's impossible to get lost with the map and instructions. I took a few shortcuts (for example, staying on the D71) so as not to make it too long for my daughters, who were new to long hikes. As mentioned in the description, the Aff was dry. We stopped at the Hôtié de Viviane to sleep because the last few kilometres were too much.

One small detail: my phone, which I used to map out the route, showed 21 kilometres between the start and Hôtié de Viviane (and 2 more kilometres if you go to Tréhorenteuc). A little longer than expected, but maybe it's just my phone that isn't accurate in its measurements (Endomondo app)

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant route through a mysterious forest... However, many tourists sometimes get lost in this maze of forest paths... The sparkling golden tree, the Rauco valley, Viviane's Hotié, a beautiful hike

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Date of your route : Aug 21, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We did routes 1 & 2 on the same day, and for me, this one is the nicest.
The section in the Aff Valley is very beautiful and very natural. The Val Sans Retour is nice, even if it can quickly get crowded as it is a tourist spot.
We had a picnic by the pond next to the biological station in Chantenay.
The route is very well signposted, and we had an IGN Paimpont map with us just in case...

Fergu22

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Date of your route : Mar 08, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did part of the hike: from Beignon to the golden oak tree with very young children (the youngest was 2.5 years old), hence the time...
Everyone on foot, a superb, very easy walk. We followed the Aff stream at the start, then the Gué de Mony stream, all through the woods.
We hitchhiked and walked back to retrieve the car.

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Date of your route : Jul 29, 2013
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We decided not to take the Postino trail
Postino trail for fear of encountering difficulties beyond our abilities. There were three adults and three older teenagers in our group. In fact, it seems that the route is quite accessible to attentive and focused hikers. Perhaps a few pictures of the passages reputed to be the most difficult would give you an idea and help you make a more informed decision. In any case, it was a wonderful memory to which Visorando contributed... Thank you

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Date of your route : Jul 21, 2013
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike to discover the mystical place that is Brocéliande.
The first part takes place in the forest, often along streams.
The second part takes you along a short stretch of road and mainly open trails.
I did the long circular route to Trécesson Castle and returned to Val sans retour via the giant's tomb.
The route ends on a high note with a beautiful climb to discover a panoramic view of the valley and the forest.
i covered a little over 25 km.
I hitchhiked from Tréhorenteuc to Paimpont to get back to my car.
The summer events in Paimpont draw us even further into the magic of Brocéliande.

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