In the forest of Coat an Noz

To the south of Belle-Île-en-Terre, a forest hides many secrets. It comprises two parts separated by the Léguer river: to the east, the Coat an Hay State Forest (Le Bois du Jour) and to the west, the Coat an Noz State Forest (Le Bois de la Nuit). In the latter, with a 19th-century castle undergoing restoration and a former ironworks site (lead mine), the route follows wide paths that are sometimes poorly lit by daylight.

Details

139367
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.82 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 227 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 225 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 195 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 93 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking: church square on the east side, opposite the mini-market.

Take the street opposite the church square, Place de la République. Continue on the right along Rue Eudon.

(1) Take the first street on the right, Rue du Pont Cunuder, cross the Guic stream and turn left. At the post office, turn right onto Rue de Kéravel.

(2) At the fork, take the leftmost street towards Moulin Blanc. At this location, the road becomes a path and you continue straight ahead.

(3) At the end of this path, turn right towards Keréven. At the end of the street, take the path almost opposite, which runs alongside a private property. This is theGR®34A(also signposted "Loc Envel" with yellow arrows). At the end of the path, continue straight ahead towards the Chapelle Sainte-Jeune.

(4) At the intersection, turn left. Turn left again before the wash house, then right towards Kergariou. As this area is private property, take the path that continues straight ahead. It goes around Kergariou and Beg ar Roz.

(5) Turn left and, 50 metres later, take the path on the right. Cross the stream, cross the D33b and continue along the path opposite on the right. After a fairly steep climb, the path leads to another wider path which you take on the left to reach the castle.

(6) Continue along the road through the forest until it joins the D33, where you will find the Maison Forestière de la Barrière Blanche.

(7) Turn left and follow the D33 for 300 metres. Take the path on the left (you will need to cross the ditch that runs alongside the road) and then, after 60 metres, take the path on the right. At the crossroads, continue slightly to the left to cross the stream along a straight forest path.

(8) At the end, turn right; the path runs alongside a small pond, then the stream. This is the steelworks trail with information panels about the site's former mines and trades. The path leads to the D33B road.

(9) On the D33B, turn right. Cross the hamlet of Le Hetou.

(10) Turn right towards La Collinière. At the top of a hill, the trail veers left, leaving a field entrance on the right, then turns right to reach Galvezan.

(11) At Galvezan, turn right, then right again onto the D33 road until you reach Chapelle du Bois (ar C'hoat).

(12) Retrace your steps.

(13) At a place called Le Penquer, take the path on the right. Cross the road (Route du Foz) and walk alongside a transport company, which is under video surveillance and has guard dogs. At the end of the path, turn right to join the D22 departmental road.

(14) Turn left onto the D22. At the junction, continue straight ahead.

(15) At the next crossroads, turn right onto Rue Crec'h Ugen to pass in front of the town hall, then take the first street on the right, Rue Guerveur. At the end of the street, turn right onto Rue du Pont Malaben, then left onto Rue du Léguer to reach the church square (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 93 m - Church square
  2. 1 : km 0.17 - alt. 94 m - Take the street on the right to cross the - Guic (rivière) - Affluent du Léguer
  3. 2 : km 0.47 - alt. 100 m - Take the leftmost path to follow the Guic
  4. 3 : km 1.43 - alt. 145 m - Keréven Road: turn right
  5. 4 : km 2.84 - alt. 174 m - Sainte-Jeune Chapel: turn left
  6. 5 : km 4.59 - alt. 132 m - On the left, then 50 m further on to the right.
  7. 6 : km 6.03 - alt. 176 m - Coat an Noz Castle
  8. 7 : km 7.85 - alt. 189 m - Barrière Blanche Forest House
  9. 8 : km 9 - alt. 150 m - T-junction, right
  10. 9 : km 9.96 - alt. 112 m - End of the path: on the right
  11. 10 : km 10.53 - alt. 111 m - On the right: towards La Collinière
  12. 11 : km 11.4 - alt. 155 m - In Galvezan: on the right
  13. 12 : km 11.88 - alt. 170 m - The Chapel of the Woods
  14. 13 : km 12.3 - alt. 158 m - In Le Penquer: on the right
  15. 14 : km 13.37 - alt. 105 m - Take the D 22 by turning left, along the - Léguer (le)
  16. 15 : km 14.42 - alt. 100 m - At the crossroads: turn right.
  17. S/E : km 14.82 - alt. 93 m - Church square

Notes

(4) Picnic area with barbecue and boules courts next to the chapel.

Worth a visit

(4) Sainte-Jeune Chapel Sainte-Jeune Chapel

After (5) 700 m on the right, Loc Envel Chapel (1.5 km round trip).

(6) Coat an Noz Castle.

From (8) to (9): The steel trail, educational trail.

(12) Chapelle ar C'hoat.

(S/E) Church of Belle-Île-en-Terre.

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Christ'ophe
Christ'ophe

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with varied scenery and terrain, and plenty of woodland. I decided to head to Loc Envel – to visit the chapel, which was unfortunately closed… – via the small road, but I turned back towards the castle via Rue du Château: a lovely, easy-to-walk path. The small road from the castle onwards was a bit monotonous, but quiet and set in the woods…

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Yvon G
Yvon G

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thanks to Le Randonneur Breton, who enabled me to continue exploring the forests of Brittany.
I followed the route only from points 1 to 7, then turned eastwards, following the GR 34A (route visible on Strava).
In a year's time, I will try to suggest a variation that includes this continuation of the 34A, and perhaps find another way to enter the forest: the Belle-Isle-en-Terre trail along the Guic, then Rue des Sabotiers, then after the bend in the road, Chemin Les Vieilles Forges, then right to avoid the wall (point 5, the "fairly steep climb", actually with an elevation gain of up to 25.9%!).
The forest seems to offer some very attractive walks based on the PR, GR and mountain bike routes, etc. It would probably take weeks to explore it all.

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huito
huito

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route, mostly shaded, very few paved roads, a few climbs.

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gerardbesnard
gerardbesnard

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Magnificent paths, although a bit too much tarmac in the last section after the castle. It might be better to go through the forest.

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ericcouty
ericcouty

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk around Belle Isle
Indeed, if it's not far, locate the chapel of Loc Envol. Thank you for everything.

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Le randonneur breton
Le randonneur breton ★

OK, I'll do what's necessary.

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Hello,
Looking at the map, it does indeed seem impractical.
We could always mention the Loc Envel Chapel in the section "Things to see during the hike or nearby".
It's definitely worth a visit.

FLOCH (Moderator)

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Le randonneur breton
Le randonneur breton ★

Hello,

Thank you for your message.
Regarding the detour to Loc Envel, a return trip via the departmental road is 1.5 km. This route is not very pleasant as I couldn't find any other paths without adding more than 5 km, which would have made my hike too long.

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Palombaggia1
Palombaggia1

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 08, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

This is one of my favourite walks in the Côtes d'Armor.
I would just have made a little detour to the Loc Envel chapel.
Thank you.

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