The Circuit des Arcades of the Rigole de Vioreau canal

Discover an unusual trail, following the banks of "La Rigole Alimentaire”, a small canal feeding into Vioreau Pond. The canal crosses the valley of the Erdre thanks to four aqueducts with eight to ten arches and travels underground over 600 m. It is, moreover, spanned by many picturesque stone bridges... During your walk you can admire the Castle of La Lucinière and the wooded area on the other side of the Valley of Erdre.

Details

20538
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 52 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 52 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 45 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 11 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Leave your car at the starting point car park near the RD69. The route you will take is signposted in both directions in yellow according to the standards of the FFRP.

(S/F) Facing the sign at the start, turn left and walk along the small canal for a few metres. At the road, turn immediately right towards the village of La Belletière.

As soon as you arrive in the village, take the lane opposite before the bend in the road. Continue straight for 300 m to reach the RD69 and the village of La Marchanderie. At the intersection, turn left and go straight for 200 metres walking on the left side of the RD69 (take care).

At the end of the village (1) take the path on your right and continue straight. You pass under the arches called Pre Boursier. In a loop on the right (2), reach the small canal.

Arrive at the canal, cross the bridge and take the path in front of you. At the end of the path (3), turn left and then take the next right. Continue on the road for about 600 m. On your right you see the Castle of La Lucinière and its woodlands on the other side of the Valley of Erdre.

Then take the path down to the canal on the right. Reach the canal (4), turn left and continue straight. You will pass over the arches of Gué de la Roche. Just before the next bridge over the canal (5) turn right and join the road by the opening in the hedge. Take another right and head down to the Erdre River.

At the end of the road, turn right and you will be back at the arches (picnic area nearby). Arrive at the arches, take an immediate right and go up the steep path. At the top, turn left and turn back in the opposite direction.

Continue straight ahead along the small canal. Go to the hamlet of La Rivière aux Simons (6), then the arcades called the Pré Boursier. A little further on, note in against the bottom of the canal on the left the Quiquengrogne water mill. Then cross the RD69 (7) (be careful) and reach the starting point (S/F) by heading along the canal again.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 22 m - Belletière car park
  2. 1 : km 0.91 - alt. 44 m - La Marchanderie
  3. 2 : km 1.65 - alt. 16 m - Junction to feed channel
  4. 3 : km 2.01 - alt. 33 m - Route
  5. 4 : km 3.08 - alt. 22 m - Food Gutter
  6. 5 : km 4.17 - alt. 22 m - Road junction
  7. 6 : km 5.78 - alt. 22 m - La Rivière aux Simons
  8. 7 : km 7.17 - alt. 21 m - Quiquengrogne - Erdre (rivière)
  9. 8 : km 7.55 - alt. 22 m - Crossing the RD69
  10. S/E : km 7.72 - alt. 22 m - Belletière car park

Notes

The following facilities are available around the circuit:
- Three public car parks are available along the route: from a point of the circuit at the village of La Belletière, another at a place called La Rivière Simon and the last at a place called Le Vieil Essart.
- Two picnic areas: one located at the starting point and the other at the foot of Gué de la Roche arches.

Worth a visit

Also named "Petit Canal", the canal connects Lake Vioreau to the Nantes-Brest canal at the "Pas d'Héric” lock. It supplies water to the first section of the canal to offset the level of decline due to lockage and evaporation during the summer. Its construction is a technical masterpiece, with a gradient of only 14 cm per kilometre along its 21.3 km!

Vault village is located a few hundred metres from the starting point and offers several services and outdoor activities:
- Picnic area
- Toilets and public showers
- Lodgings (groups and individuals)
- Canoe/kayak hire

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 45 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
rubiks44
rubiks44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk
we (like many other people we met) braved the closure due to a landslide on part of the cliff. Work is underway, but it looks like it will take a long time given the topography of the area...

Machine-translated

User 26965295

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It was difficult to find our way back... a bit too much tarmac... but it gave us an understanding of how the canal and its locks work

Machine-translated

Stéphanie Le Touzé
Stéphanie Le Touzé

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful site, even if the start isn't very inviting due to the excessive amount of asphalt.
It is important to note that, as of today, the section of the return route that starts at the crossroads shortly after 2 and ends at the car park is closed due to a landslide that occurred at the end of 2024. We decided to ignore it, but on the one hand it was prohibited, and on the other hand, with people who are a little fearful or young children, the landslide section is not highly recommended.
I hope it will be restored one day because the return trip via this route is really beautiful.

Machine-translated

Sylvie44
Sylvie44

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant stroll through the countryside in April

Machine-translated

vivi 31
vivi 31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A bit muddy unfortunately in this rainy winter, but overall a pleasant and interesting route to discover the feeder stream of the Nantes-Brest canal.

Machine-translated

Marineavt
Marineavt

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk, done during the week, so alone on the circuit. Easily done in 2 hours with children.

Machine-translated

ERDRE CANAL FORET
ERDRE CANAL FORET

Thank you for your opinion and invaluable advice. The aqueducts need to be crossed with care. The arches are impressive, and it is possible to walk under them, in which case good shoes are also advisable to avoid slipping. Children must of course be supervised by adults... We have a number of tours to offer in Erdre Canal Foret, so don't hesitate to ask at our tourist offices.

Machine-translated

DaDoRando14
DaDoRando14

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very interesting rands. Note that for people prone to vertigo, the passage of aqueducts can pose a problem and that also, in the same places, with young children, vigilance is required.

Machine-translated

Patrick  443
Patrick 443

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk that's easy to follow.

Machine-translated

Bocsozel
Bocsozel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It's a pleasant walk, and at this time of year the view is very clear, allowing you to see many more points of interest.

Machine-translated

youteam
youteam

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The route is pleasant because it is wooded, but it is monotonous. The aqueducts are a point of interest.

Machine-translated

ERDRE CANAL FORET
ERDRE CANAL FORET

Thank you for your opinion. This trail is very pleasant and will soon be even longer (21 km), joining the Etang de Vioreau at Joué-sur-Erdre.

Machine-translated

AIRBUS2016a
AIRBUS2016a

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant circuit in the shade.

Machine-translated

glaive44
glaive44

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very shady

Machine-translated

MICHAUX
MICHAUX

Many thanks
Have a nice day

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.