Cens, Erdre and Gesvres, three streams of Nantes

An easy hike along three streams: le Cens, l'Erdre, and le Gesvres. Nature within the town of Nantes.

Technical sheet

218270
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 19 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 19 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 26 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from Petit Port Ice-rink (car park just opposite, tram nearby).

(S/F) Opposite the ice-rink, head left on Chemin de la Censive. Turn right at the first fork.

(1) Head left along "le Cens" stream until you reach the junction with "l'Erdre" stream.

(2) Where "le Cens" flows into "l'Erdre", go left along "l'Erdre" bank following the GR3 towards "la Jonelière".

(3) Before reaching the railway viaduct, leave the GR and head onto Chemin de la Pierre Percée. Take the path along "le Gesvres" stream until "Le Boulevard Martin Luther King". Cross the road, heading along the right-hand side to the north until you reach the ring road.

(4) Head back due south on a trail. The trail heads of to the right passing in front of a lake.

(5) Turn off to the left reaching Rue Stéphane Leduc to the right.

(6) Cross the tramway tracks and keep going on the other side. At the roundabout, turn right, then left across the racetrack.

(7) At the exit, head left at Boulevard des Tribunes roundabout leading to the ice-rink (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 7 m - Petit-Port skating rink
  2. 1 : km 0.14 - alt. 6 m - To the left, along the - Cens (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 0.56 - alt. 5 m - Confluence - Erdre (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 1.11 - alt. 7 m - University. Along the Erdre, which is also the - Canal de Nantes à Brest
  5. 4 : km 2.05 - alt. 7 m - To the left, along the - Gesvres (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 3.71 - alt. 12 m - Close to the ring road
  7. 6 : km 4.47 - alt. 16 m - Towards Rue Stéphane Leduc
  8. 7 : km 4.75 - alt. 26 m - Passage of the tramway
  9. 8 : km 5.94 - alt. 24 m - Left at the Boulevard des Tribunes roundabout
  10. S/E : km 6.46 - alt. 7 m - Petit-Port skating rink

In the nearby area

Castle located on the edge of "l'Erdre" stream.
La Jonelière: Opportunity to visit the houseboats. This was a leisure area for Nantes residents at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century,
The railway viaduct.
Nearby: The Nantes football club "Jonelière " sports centre.
The racetracks.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

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

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
kaolak
kaolak

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A lot of people at the beginning of the tour.
Very nice tour

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CatBou333
CatBou333

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Being from Nantes, I discovered some wonderful paths on this pleasant walk. Worth doing and doing again.

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Duret
Duret

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

There's a gap in the description at point 4: we didn't see the lake, we must not have been on the right path, but we soon found it again.
It would have been a good idea to specify that you should follow the yellow path.
All in all, a lovely green walk, without feeling too much like a city...

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Jujuliette
Jujuliette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : N/A
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very nice route. We just had a doubt when we reached the Gevres. You have to turn left to find it after the ring road and follow it on "your" left, so stay on the same side (as described at the end of point (3)). In the end, we didn't make a mistake, we just wondered about it. We also didn't use point (4), and didn't see the water!
In short, no problem, it was just for the accuracy of the description, and a nice walk!

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TVCG
TVCG

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very pleasant circuit along the water and a wooded route. However, crossing the racecourse is not permitted on horse-racing days.

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Coimbra25
Coimbra25
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

I've been there before, and I took 2 friends who enjoyed it.

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pgcorrelabat
pgcorrelabat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A fun and very accessible walk that lets you get out into nature while still being in the city. Yellow signposted trail.

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Bernard 10
Bernard 10

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Passing through Nantes, we were looking for a little hike. And this one deserved our full attention. A real change of scenery, even though we're just outside Nantes. Very pleasant. Why not do it with children, without any difficulties. You can rely on the yellow signposting from start to finish, which is very well done and precise.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

The description was quite clear for us, except at the ring road junction, where we had a bit of trouble finding our way back. The route is not very clear.

The term "map route" refers to the conformity of the route as shown on the map with the reality on the ground.
Did the route cause any problems? If so, what can be done about it?
You followed the route with a GPS,
Did you find any deviations from the route?

Sincerely

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Escapism
Escapism

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The description was clear enough for us, except at the ring road junction, where we had a bit of trouble finding our way back. The route is not very clear.
Superb walk otherwise, it was fun.
Well done to you all.

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Yvon44980
Yvon44980

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A walk to discover natural sites in the heart of the city!

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roievil
roievil

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Thank you for sharing this very pleasant route with us. Just before arriving at number 4, we foolishly followed the signs for the little port and took the boulevard Martin Luther King in the wrong direction - not a good idea!

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sarah44470
sarah44470

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The path is easy to walk with a pushchair and well signposted.
Several places to take a break (bench + table) throughout the walk.
From passage number 3 to number 5 not very nice and a bit of a hall.
Good memory on the race course: I gave my 2 1/2-month-old daughter a bottle on the course (unusual).

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Cwappy
Cwappy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A great little circuit that manages to avoid almost all residential areas!

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