Circuit along the banks of the Erdre in Carquefou

This beautiful walk begins with a visit to Chantrerie Park and its remarkable trees. A short detour behind some more or less heavily built-up areas will take you to Étang Hervé and then Port Breton. The return journey will then take you along the Erdre.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.54 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 30 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 30 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 29 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Nantes (44200|44300|44000|44)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.29409° / W 1.528325°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1223SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the turning circle at the end of Route de Gachet on the banks of the Erdre.

(S/E) Take the path on the left of the roundabout when you arrive. If there are several paths, always take the one closest to the banks of the Erdre. It is a relatively narrow path and quite wild in places. You will arrive at a small boathouse.

(1) Go around the back and take the small path on the right that runs along the banks of the Erdre again. You will see the Château de la Chantrerie high up on the left. Continue to the first fork, where you will take the path on the left, leaving the riverbank. Shortly afterwards, you will come to another fork where you should continue straight ahead. After about a hundred metres, the path begins to curve sharply to the left. You will see a chapel on the hillside to your left.

(2) Go around the chapel, continuing along the bend to the left, until you reach a small crossroads with three paths: the first on the right goes down with steps, the second in the middle goes straight ahead, and the third on the left continues around the chapel. This is the path you should follow. Continue until you come to a path entrance on your right marked "Sortie du parc" (Park exit).

(3) Turn right and continue until you reach the exit of Parc de la Chantrerie, marked by a relatively ornate gate. Cross the Route de Gachet carefully and take Chemin de Boisbonne, opposite the gate and slightly to the right. At the end of the road, turn right and follow Rue Sophie Germain, making a wide left turn. You will arrive at a large roundabout and continue along the left-hand side of the road until you reach a wide cycle path on your left, which is closed to cars.

(4) Follow this path until, after passing some wooden barriers, you reach Chemin des Prés Noroux, which you follow straight ahead. Pass two streets that open up on the right to reach a small road (Chemin de la Savaudière). Opposite, slightly to the right, you will find another small road marked at the beginning by a beautiful basalt cross. You will also see a sign indicating "Circuit de l'Erdre n° 2". Continue along this small road, ignoring two entrances on the left, then one entrance on the right. The road turns into a wide path (Chemin de l'Ouche Cormier) which makes a right-angle turn followed, a little further on, by a wide turn, again to the right, before coming to a fork.

(5) Take the wide path at a right angle to the left. This dirt track ends in a wooden walkway crossing a marshy area. At the end of the walkway, turn left onto a dirt track. Follow this wide path, ignoring the entrances on the right that lead to buildings. Pass a small pond on your right. Then take the path on the left and follow it, ignoring a small entrance on the left, until you reach Étang Hervé.

(6) Walk along the pond, keeping it on your left. The path turns right and becomes an almost straight line, climbing slightly to reach a junction with a wide, fairly flat path. This junction is marked by signs indicating different walks from the one you are following.

(7) Turn left, ignoring the signs. You will soon come to a small crossroads where you will see a long, narrow, very shady straight path in front of you. The wide path you are following curves slightly to the right and then turns left, running parallel to the straight path. Both paths lead to the same place on a small road (Chemin de Port Breton), which you cross to continue straight ahead. A small bend to the right and you will arrive at Port Jean.

(8) Turn left onto the first path you come to. After a series of bends, go around Port Breton and you will come to a small road. A little to the left, almost opposite you, is a path entrance marked "sentier pédestre" (footpath). Take this path, which follows the banks of the Erdre for a long way and arrives at a large car park at Vieux Gachet. Stay on the right-hand side of this car park, take a small path that follows the banks of the Erdre again and then brings you back to the road. Follow this road on its right-hand side, crossing a stream over a small bridge.

(9) Almost immediately after this bridge, turn right onto a fairly grassy path and follow it to the end to return to the starting point at the roundabout (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 6 m - Gachet, roundabout
  2. 1 : km 0.9 - alt. 5 m - Small port - Erdre (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 1.23 - alt. 19 m - Chapel junction
  4. 3 : km 1.54 - alt. 16 m - Turn right at the fork
  5. 4 : km 2.72 - alt. 15 m - Cycle path
  6. 5 : km 3.92 - alt. 9 m - Fork, left
  7. 6 : km 5.21 - alt. 7 m - Étang Hervé
  8. 7 : km 5.99 - alt. 21 m - Crossroads, signs, on the left
  9. 8 : km 6.58 - alt. 7 m - Port Jean sur l'Erdre, which is also the - Canal de Nantes à Brest
  10. 9 : km 8.28 - alt. 6 m - Path on the right
  11. S/E : km 8.54 - alt. 6 m - Gachet, roundabout

Notes

It is fairly easy to park in the car park at the end of Route de Gachet, near the roundabout on the banks of the Erdre.
If you prefer public transport, the terminus of the TAN 85 bus line is located on Route de Gachet, about 300 m from the start of the hike.

Here and there, you will find signs marking a few "official" hiking trails. Ignore them, as they do not correspond to the hike described here, even if they are located along your route. It is best to carefully follow the trail corresponding to this description.

Worth a visit

At point (6), the Hervé pond offers a very pleasant place to take a break.
Between points (8) and the finish (S/E), there are numerous benches where you can take a pleasant break.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 7841530

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

the route description lacks precision in two places.

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User 25387862

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike. Easy to do.

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lolo36
lolo36

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This semi-urban hike was a wonderful surprise! I particularly enjoyed the section along the Erdre and the Chantrerie park, but the area around the Hervé pond was also interesting. Thank you for suggesting this route.

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Destouches Claude
Destouches Claude

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A varied route in the heart of nature, without any difficulties, a little muddy after rain, suitable for families

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Vero44980
Vero44980

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route completed today with Nordic walking. Very easy to follow, accessible, peaceful, to be repeated in sunny weather

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Brigitte22
Brigitte22

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk along the riverbank and countryside near Stream.

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SnowyOwl
SnowyOwl

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, apart from the section along the roadside at the large roundabout. Very few people at the beginning of October, but I imagine there must be many more on sunny days due to the magnificent Chantrerie park and the banks of the Erdre river.

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LMC
LMC

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike with interesting views. Meeting students added some spice to the hike. Very good.

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belie89
belie89

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy and varied walk combining the banks of the Erdre and the countryside

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rubiks44
rubiks44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

the circuit is completed twice: once in winter and once in late spring. The circuit is completely different depending on the season.

easy walk

a guinguette (open-air café) is open in summer at Port Jean, which is a very nice place to have a drink at the end of your walk

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rubiks44
rubiks44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

walk taken on 03/02/2024: great

we hardly saw anyone

very pleasant walk with a good stretch along the Erdre.

the Chantrerie Park is home to the veterinary school and lots of animals.

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Bocsozel
Bocsozel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful circular walk

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jean luc hamonet
jean luc hamonet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike taken in September 2023 during the interesting jazz festival on the Erdre. The section between points 3 and 4 is not very pleasant for pedestrians. The Boisbonne path is lined with enigmatic concrete blocks and a skip overflowing with rubbish marks the junction with Rue Sophie Germain. This contrasts with the beautiful Chantrerie park (points 1 and 2). The rest of the walk (between 4 and 8) is very pleasant. Nature is on the doorstep of the city. Thank you for this walk.

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Phil.Lord
Phil.Lord

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful circular!
Despite the proximity of the urban area (the "bustle of humans" can be heard on a third of the route), the feeling of relaxation and escape is very strong.
And for children, there are so many animal attractions! Large birds near the pond, horses, goats, "exotic" cows...
And the majesty of the Erdre!

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plidenantes
plidenantes

Thank you ☺️

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