Route des Poachers, Drouges

The Guerche Forest is ever-present on this route, whether you follow its southern edge or it closes off the horizon to the north. Beautiful architecture typical of the Pays Guerchais in Drouges and its many villages.

Details

30513018
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.30 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 200 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 174 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 354 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 194 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Drouges (35130)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.900992° / W 1.264977°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1319SB, 1320SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at the junction of Rue Saint-Pierre and Rue de l’Étang, near the Town Hall.

Route certified by FFRandonnée, signposted in an anti-clockwise direction.
YellowPR®® markings supplemented by green arrows bearing the number 62

(S/E) From the starting point, head towards the pedestrian crossing, cross over and turn right to go round the junction on the left, then take Rue Saint-Pierre towards Retier. Ignore the dead-end on the right and turn into thefirst street on the right, just before the cemetery. After leaving the town, continue for a good kilometre until you reach a crossroads with a detached house.

(1) Turn left onto the path, then turn right, then left, so as to go round the small wood. Then turn right and follow the path that runs alongside the field. After the left-hand bend, continue straight on towards the west. Wait for a junction with a road.

(2) Cross the road and continue straight ahead until you reach a bend in a street in La Bretonnière.

(3) Turn left and follow the path for about 1.5 km until you reach a junction with an open track.

(4) Turn left, heading due south, and follow the path until you reach a road.

(5) Cross the road, continue straight ahead and find the start of a path running perpendicular to the left, just before the hamlet of La Guigne-en-Bois.

(6) Follow this path which runs alongside the Forêt de la Guerche, then turn left to follow the lake. At the end of the lake, turn right then left to rejoin the road.

(7) Turn right and follow the road to Pâtis Boursier at a left-hand bend near a crucifix.

(8) Leave the road and continue straight on along a dirt track. You will reach a fork in the road about 350 m after the hamlet, near a high-voltage power line.

(9) Turn left, pass under the high-voltage lines and continue straight on. Pass La Touche, following the D178. Continue until you reach a small road at the exit of a road tunnel.

(10) Leave the tunnel on your right and turn left to reach the pond. Turn slightly left to follow its southern bank, then continue straight on until you reach the street near the Town Hall square.

(11) Turn right to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 240 ft - Junction of Rue Saint-Pierre and Rue de l'Étang
  2. 1 : mi 0.92 - alt. 259 ft - Route de la Grande Bécannière - Isolated house
  3. 2 : mi 2.15 - alt. 266 ft - Crossroads - Road
  4. 3 : mi 2.64 - alt. 230 ft - La Bretonnière
  5. 4 : mi 3.54 - alt. 233 ft - Crossroads
  6. 5 : mi 4.04 - alt. 305 ft - Route
  7. 6 : mi 4.35 - alt. 338 ft - Crossroads
  8. 7 : mi 5.55 - alt. 338 ft - Route de la Pinsonnière - Crucifix
  9. 8 : mi 6.18 - alt. 341 ft - Pâtis Boursier
  10. 9 : mi 6.45 - alt. 328 ft - Crossroads – Road tunnel
  11. 10 : mi 6.96 - alt. 256 ft - Road bridge
  12. 11 : mi 7.22 - alt. 243 ft - Outlet: Étang du Bourg
  13. S/E : mi 7.3 - alt. 240 ft - Junction of Rue Saint-Pierre and Rue de l'Étang

Notes

Car park, picnic area, toilets and accommodation near the starting point.

Can be done on foot or by bike.

See the Poachers’ Route on Ils&Vilaine Tourisme.

Worth a visit

Bread oven below the church.
Château de la Motte.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

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

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Bernard 10
Bernard 10
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Overall, I would say that this hike is rather monotonous. Tarmac road from the start to point 1. Then from point 1 to point 4, not very interesting. From point 5 onwards, the hike becomes more pleasant; from point 6 to point 7, walking along the (private) forest becomes enjoyable. After point 7, we took the small path that branches off to the left (before point 8). This takes you back to the starting point. I give it a rating of 6/10.
PS: Signposts no. 62 are sometimes missing at certain intersections and can sometimes be confusing. A word of advice: follow the description and, better still, take a map (IGN 1/25,000) and a GPS with you. And although this circuit is certified by the FFRP, we noticed very few yellow markings (PR). Note that you can find this entire circuit (18.5 km) in the guidebook "L'Ille et Vilaine... à pied" on page 83.

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pa2pa2
pa2pa2

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Nice

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bonchampois
bonchampois

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route, but we went hiking in May and the trail was very wet – a shame
Otherwise, the walk along the edge of the forest was very pleasant

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guiarp
guiarp

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route, with sections of old paths lined with oak and chestnut trees that are several hundred years old.
Very pleasant stretches along field edges and forest edges.
Thank you:

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