From the medieval town to the hillside manor houses

Start from the Gaudinais car park, opposite the tower of the same name, on Boulevard de l’Abreuvoir.

(S/E) With your back to the ramparts, walk up Rue du Bouton d'Or until you reach Rue Baptiste Marcet. Then turn left onto this road, which leads to Faubourg Bizienne. Turn right when you reach the end and continue to the next small square.

(1) The junction of the faubourg and two other streets forms a small square, dominated by a wooden cross set on a fine granite base. Turn left into Rue du Progalais, then turn right at the next three-way junction. Further on, the path narrows to pass between two stone walls, whilst the Moulin de Colveux rises up on a riverside property. At the end of this path, continue to the right, following the track that runs alongside the neighbouring properties.

(2) At the junction of Allée de Colveux and Rue des Salorges, take the path leading off to the left, then continue straight on along Allée du Landier Roussel. At the end of this road, turn right onto Route de Kerbézo, then follow this road down for about 400 m to reach the old hamlet of Kerbézo.

(3) Turn right into Rue du Tenny, then 50 m further on, into the cul-de-sac of the same name which branches off to the left. The path branches off to the right halfway along this road, winding its way through the vegetation and emerging onto Route de Drezeux, just opposite the entrance to the Domaine de Châteaumady. Walk down this road for about 500 m with care, as this narrow road leading to the beaches of Pen Bron can be very busy in high season.

(4) Head down to the left along the path to the castle gate and turn left when you reach the first barn. Continue along the sunken path that winds down the hillside to the bottom. The path continues along the edge of the farmland bordering the marsh. Above, you can see the buildings of the Manoir de Châteaumady. Continuing straight on to Queniquen, you eventually come out onto the Place de la Croix, the village’s main crossroads, where stands… a beautiful granite cross on a round base.

(5) At the cross, continue straight on along Rue Poumaillard, then, at the next crossroads, turn left and immediately right to join Chemin de Promarzin. You’ll find the same type of path as before the village, marking the break in gradient between the hillside and the marsh. On the left, a small square shrine set against the boundary wall marks the Domaine de Colveux. This is the local chapel. Continue past it.

(6) At the next crossroads, head up the path to the left until you reach the built-up area.

(7) As you approach the Colveux cross, take the path on the right which passes beneath the first houses, then turn right again at the next crossroads. Continue along this path to the left until you come out onto the small road leading down from the town, which serves as the route for the cycle path.

(8) Then turn left to head up Rue J.-B. Legeay, passing in front of the Lycée de la Mennais. Once past the school, turn right into Rue de la Tannerie, which leads to Faubourg Saint-Armel.

(9) Then turn left to head up this street lined with old houses, amongst which the gable of the former local chapel still stands out. You will soon spot the Porte de Saillé, one of the four gates of the medieval town. Turn right to follow the ramparts until you reach the Poterne du Tricot, a small gate in the wall about a hundred metres from the Porte de Saillé.

(10) Go through the gate and walk up the alley to the first crossroads. Then turn right into Rue Sainte-Catherine, then left into Rue de Beau Soleil. This leads you out onto the centre of Place du Pilori. Turn left and walk round the right-hand side of the Chapelle Notre-Dame la Blanche, then return to Rue Bizienne at the entrance to the École Sainte-Marie.

(11) Walk down Rue Bizienne and exit the walled town through the gate of the same name. Turn right to reach the car park where you started, a few hundred metres further on (S/E).

The tour within the town walls is just a taste of the richness of Guérande. It deserves a more thorough exploration.

If what you’ve seen of the salt marshes has left you wanting more, head to Terre de Sel, a short distance along the road past Queniquen (you can clearly see the long rows of salt stored under tarpaulins by the cooperative, right on the edge of the marshes). The site offers a range of themed tours suitable for all ages, providing a deeper understanding of the area and salt production.