Couëron West: between town and countryside

The route starts at the velodrome car park on Boulevard François Blancho.

(S/E) Facing the velodrome, head up Boulevard François Blancho to the right, then turn right onto Rue Arsène Leloup. Pass one street on the left and three on the right, then turn left onto the small Rue de la Convention and follow it to the Post Office car park.

Carry on to the right and join Rue Henri Gautier. Turn left, head for the roundabout and continue straight ahead along the same street for 350 metres, passing four streets on either side.

(1) Turn left onto Rue Jacques Tati and take the second street on the right, Rue Simone Signoret. Continue to the roundabout and turn left onto Boulevard de l’Europe. Turn right onto Rue Louis Feuillade and continue for 150m.

(2) When the street bends to the left, take the path opposite which leads to the green corridor. Follow it up the steps on the left.

Follow the path to the left between the housing estates, cross Boulevard de l’Océan, and continue along the path in the same direction, passing by the foot of an old building called ‘La Noë Saint-Jean’. Keep going straight on and, after passing two buildings made of exposed concrete, continue for a further 100 metres.

(3) Take the path branching off to the right at the foot of the stairs. At the next Fork in the road, keep to the right, passing the community gardens and then a stone house. Cross the next street and carry on until you reach Rue de la Blanchardière at the edge of the housing estate

(4) Turn right, then left at the Fork in the road 200m further on and follow the road to the junction. Take the road on the left to Le Mortier des Noues.

(5) Leave the road and take the footpath which starts on the left opposite a large building; follow it until you rejoin the road at a place called Le Puygodeau.

(6) Take the road on the left and follow it for about 1 kilometre.

(7) At the wayside cross at the entrance to Couëron (junction with Rue de la Blanchardière), take the path leading off to the right. Pass the pond on your left, walk past the beautiful Plessis mansion and continue straight ahead, leaving the farmhouse on your left.

When you reach the Route de la Censive, cross it and carry on straight ahead, then follow Rue des Éperviers to the right.
After a bend of more than 90° to the left, the road becomes a track and passes through the courtyard of an old farm.

(8) Once you’ve passed the buildings, turn left onto the path that climbs up and joins Rue des Bergeronnettes.
At the top of the track (with unobstructed views of the surrounding area), follow this street to the right alongside the houses. At the end of the field, turn left and continue to the Montée Tire-Jarret steps, which you should go down.

(9) At the bottom, turn left onto Rue Jean-Jacques Audubon, which continues as Boulevard de l’Océan.
At the sports centre, turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

Some sections may be a little muddy at times. In principle, the route remains passable throughout.

Short route option (6km)

(4) At the junction, turn left onto Rue de la Blanchardière for 200m to rejoin the junction (7) by the wayside cross.