Route in Cossé-le-Vivien

(S/E) The walk starts from the car park behind the town hall.

With the town hall behind you, turn left towards the church and walk alongside it along the small footpath leading to Rue du Point du Jour. Turn right onto Rue du Point du Jour, then at the ‘Stop’ sign, cross the road and continue straight on towards Cosmes and Simplé. After 400m, turn right onto Chemin de Guinefolle (a dead-end road after No. 22). Carry on straight ahead, passing the football pitch and the houses on your right, and after just over 300m, take the dirt track opposite. Follow this track all the way to the end, where it leads into a housing estate.

(1) Enter the housing estate. At the first junction, turn left onto Rue des Violettes, then right onto Rue des Jonquilles. At the very end of Rue des Jonquilles, take the pedestrian path that branches off to the left at No. 19. Follow this path all the way to the end, then turn left onto Rue de l’Oriette. Continue for just over 300 metres along Rue de l’Oriette, then, at the bend after the SECMAIR premises, turn left onto Rue Guy Hamon and carry on to the second junction 250 metres further on.

(2) Turn left towards the hamlet known as La Grande Hersouillère. Walk for about 500 metres until you reach some farm buildings, then carry on straight ahead. About 500 metres past these buildings, the road takes a sharp bend to the right and a path branches off straight ahead. Take this path opposite and follow it to the greenway.

(3) Just before the bridge spanning the greenway, turn left to join it. Continue straight on along the greenway, crossing a first small road, then a second, busier road (D4 – take care as it is a busy road). Then continue along the greenway for about 300 metres. You will then arrive at the Prée wetland in Cossé-le-Vivien (on the left).

(4) Turn left onto the path leading down from the greenway towards the wetland. Walk through the wetland along the wooden walkways and footbridges (keeping to the right at all times) until you reach the junction of Avenue Paul Bigeon and Rue de la Motte. Turn left, cross the avenue (taking care) and head straight on into Rue Saint-Julien. At the end of this street, turn left; 40 metres further on, a footpath branches off to the right between numbers 16 and 18.

(5) Turn right onto this footpath and follow it alongside the housing estate for about 600 metres. At the end of the path, turn right onto Rue Robert Buron. After number 2, take the footpath on the left and follow it for 150 metres until you reach Rue de l’Abbé Angot. Continue straight on, then at the end, take the footpath opposite which leads back towards the RD771.

(6) Before the crash barriers, turn left and follow the path alongside the plane trees for 500 metres until you reach a path bordered by a hedge. Turn left onto this path and follow it to a junction with a small tarmac road (D251). Cross the small road to take the path that goes straight ahead and follow it until it joins a main road (D124).

(7) Cross the D124 (caution: busy road; vehicles travel at high speed), then turn left onto the grassy track running alongside the road. Continue for just over 500 metres, then turn right at the first junction at the hamlet known as La Grande Besnardière. About 80 metres further on, a tree-lined track branches off to the left (note: this is not shown on the IGN map).

(8) Take this path and follow it all the way until it joins a small tarmac road (D120). Turn left, walk just over 200 metres to reach the village, then turn right onto a footpath just before the ‘entering built-up area’ sign. Follow it for 150 metres to the housing estate. Turn left and follow Impasse Paul Gauguin until you reach Rue Léonard de Vinci. Continue straight on and follow the street until you reach Rue des Alouettes (no. 13).

(9) There, turn right, then turn left onto Rue Joseph Germain. Continue straight on, past the sports hall, and at the ‘Stop’ sign, turn right onto Rue de l’Huilerie. Join Rue de Bretagne (D4), then turn right. Continue for about 150 metres until you reach a junction.

(10) Turn right, then right again 40 metres further on, at the first junction (sign: “No entry except for residents”). Go round the lake and return to the junction.

(10) Turn right onto the D4 and continue for just over 500 metres until you come to a path branching off to the left by a stone wayside cross.

(11) Turn left onto this track and follow it all the way to a small tarmac road. Turn right, then left 50 metres further on onto a country lane. Follow this track all the way to the end to reach a very small tarmac road. Turn left and continue straight on for 500 metres. You will then reach a junction with a slightly larger tarmac road.

(12). Turn left, continue straight on for 500 metres until you reach a three-way junction. Take the left-hand lane and carry on until you reach the ‘Stop’ sign (with a wayside cross opposite). Cross Rue de Bretagne, turn right and then, after 90 metres, turn left to enter the municipal park. Walk through the park to the open-air theatre, then go up the steps alongside the benches to Rue Saint-Jacques.
Turn right onto Rue Saint-Jacques and continue straight on until you reach Place du Marché. Cross the square diagonally, veering slightly to the right, and turn into Rue de l’Église opposite. Walk past the church on the right and then head towards the town hall car park (S/E).

There are plenty of parking spaces available at the starting point.
In the centre of Cossé-le-Vivien, you’ll find all the shops you need (bakery, butcher’s, pub, restaurant, etc.).

The wetland (4) or the small lake (10) are ideal spots for relaxing. Why not take the opportunity to have a short break?