From Guérande to La Baule and back via the salt marshes

(S/E) Start from the Athanor cultural centre, north of the walled town.
Head to the Post Office, at the junction of Rue Anne de Bretagne and Rue de la Brière, then follow the cycle path running alongside Avenue Gustave Flaubert until you reach the Guérande bypass.

(1) Cross this busy road and continue along the cycle route through the Villejames industrial and commercial area. This route follows the right-of-way of the old railway line that once served Guérande and extended as far as La Baule. The cuttings and various engineering structures encountered still bear witness to this history.

(2) At the Bissin housing estate, the cycle path leaves the former railway right-of-way and joins a small road which, further on, passes under the four-lane road linking St Nazaire to Guérande. As soon as you have crossed this, turn left at the roundabout to head back up alongside the road you have just crossed. After a few hundred metres, you’ll rejoin the old railway line, near a traditional old signalman’s cottage. The descent to La Baule is a gentle ride, following the sweeping curves of the old railway right-of-way.

(3) After crossing the footbridge over the slip road to La Baule, continue until you reach Avenue des Noëlles. Turn left, then right at the next roundabout. After going over a hump, you’ll reach another roundabout. Turn right onto the access road to the station car parks, which you’ll follow along the northern side. At the end of the car parks, turn left back towards Avenue Jean Mermoz, which you follow by turning right. Follow it up to Rue Marcel Rigaud, which continues it. At the junction with Avenue Maurice Morin, turn right to reach Avenue Rémy Flandin.

(4) Go under the railway bridge and take the second street on the left, towards the Lycée de Grand-Air. Opposite the school entrance, turn right and cross Avenue du Bois d’Amour. Continue to the next junction and follow Avenue Jean de la Fontaine and Avenue de Valençay until you reach Allée Cavalière. Turn right and follow this road to the sea.

(5) When you reach the beach, turn right and follow the Boulevard de Mer until you reach the Casino de la Baule. At the Hôtel Majestic, leave the seafront and go behind the Hôtel l’Hermitage to join Avenue des Lilas, which runs parallel to the beach, behind the seafront. Just as this road curves to the right, leave it and take Avenue Kersuzer, following it until you reach the Pouliguen inlet and the marina situated there. Head up the quay to the right to reach the bridge leading to Le Pouliguen.

(6) At the end of the bridge, turn left and follow the quay until you reach the edge of Plage du Nau. At the junction just before the beach, turn right to go round it and join Rue du Maréchal Foch. Continue to the left until you pass the town hall (a pretty seaside château), and carry on along the main street. Further on, the road passes the Penchâteau chapel, well before reaching the headland of the same name. On the left-hand side of the road, a succession of beautiful properties line the headland that forms the western boundary of the Bay of La Baule-le-Pouliguen.

(7) Where the road curves sharply to the right, at the headland of Penchâteau, it is flanked by a dedicated cycle path that runs alongside it as far as Scall Bay (junction with the RD 45). Take care when using it, as it can get very busy on fine days, and also because villas have been built between the path and the sea: their driveways sometimes open directly onto the path.

(8) At Baie du Scall, turn left to follow the RD 45 (coastal road) until you have passed Govelle beach.

(9) 500 m further on, leave the coastal road for the Route du Manérick. Follow this road for 200 metres, then turn left onto the Route de Kerlan, which climbs towards the village of Batz. Before reaching Kerlan, turn right towards Kerdréan and follow the road to the Moulin de la Masse. This elegant, all-white mill is well worth a visit.

(10) Leaving the mill, you reach the RD 245, which is a very busy road. Turn right, follow it for about 300 m, and cross it when it reaches the outskirts of the village of Kervalet. Gates allow you to cross the railway line to reach this beautiful village.
Enter the village and, at the first junction, turn right to head up towards the chapel. Follow Rue de la Chapelle until you reach Rue de la Croix, then turn left onto the latter.

(11) A stone’s throw from the monument, to the north-west, a sweeping panorama of the salt marshes opens up. The narrow road leading into them winds its way between the basins for several kilometres. In the centre of the salt basin, you’ll come to a single crossroads. Head straight on towards Pradel and Terre de Sel, headquarters of the Guérande salt producers’ cooperative. This route is straightforward, provided the wind isn’t too strong and you’re not travelling during the summer months, as it is one of the only roads crossing the salt marshes.

(12) After passing the cooperative’s buildings and the huge piles of salt stored there awaiting sale, continue along the small road that runs along the foot of the Guérande hillside, right on the edge of the first salt pans. You pass the village of Kerignon before reaching Les Maisons Brûlées.

(13) The hamlet has developed at the junction of the marsh road and the road leading down from Clis. Turn right and take a deep breath! A steep climb awaits you to reach the village and the road from Guérande to La Turballe, which runs through it.

(14) When you reach the RD 99, turn right and follow this road for about 500 m. Before leaving the village, you’ll pass the chapel. This road is very busy, so you must take the utmost care when cycling along it, particularly in summer.
At the bottom of a gentle descent, take the road branching off to the left. Feel free to dismount to cross more safely.

(15) After this junction, the landscape changes: the upper slopes of the Guérande hillside are devoted to agriculture, and farms are scattered along this small road. Before reaching Haut Mora, you’ll join the cycle route leading to Piriac. Turn right to reach Bas Mora and the Signolais market garden.

(16) The last remaining farm plots give way to a new neighbourhood in Guérande, and once past the old Maison Neuve farm, turn right onto Rue Charles le Goffic, which you follow until you reach Rue du Parc des Boeufs.
Turn left, then cross Boulevard de Gaulle and continue almost directly opposite along Rue du Bouton d'Or. The ramparts are in sight!

(17) Turn right onto the path that runs alongside the wall and its moat.
Walk around the walled town, passing the Bizienne, Saillé and St Michel gates.

(18) Go round the Place du Marché au Bois to reach Boulevard du Nord, which you follow until you reach its sharpest bend.

(19) Opposite the Tour Ste Anne (the one with the spire), a passageway runs under a residential building, leading to Boulevard Emile Pourieux. Cross this road and, a little to the left, you will find the entrance to the cultural centre car park. (S/E)

Although this route runs largely along cycle paths or quiet country lanes, it also takes in a few sections of very busy roads (Bd de Mer in La Baule, the coastal road between Le Pouliguen and Batz, the Route des Marais, and the section through Clis). In high season, it’s best to do this route early in the morning and avoid doing it in the afternoon, especially if the weather isn’t suitable for swimming. Tourists are out and about in large numbers then, and the roads are very busy!

Given the high level of urbanisation in the area, apart from the stretch through the marshes and the climb towards Guérande, there are no problems finding supplies or a pleasant spot to stop for a break.

Whilst La Baule’s beach is the source of its reputation, the seaside resort boasts several neighbourhoods of remarkable villas that can be explored along the streets of the old pine forest, particularly behind the casino, and in the Baule-les-Pins area. The Tourist Office even offers a walking route to discover the most remarkable ones.

The landscape of the salt marshes is incredible, particularly when the salt is ‘giving’ (a local expression indicating full activity). To complement this visual experience, stop off at Terre de Sel: this facility features a museum dedicated to salt production and offers multi-themed guided tours of great interest.