De Lantiern à la Vilaine

(S/E) Starting from the picnic area that marks the beginning of the botanical trail, turn your back on the village of Arzal and cross the village of Coscat, going around the first farm buildings on the left. Go through the hamlet, then take a street on the right to return to the road leading to Trénué. Continue to the first road on the right and follow it up to the houses of the Cour de Trénué, then continue straight on along the path between them. As you pass, note the two beautiful arched doors of the last house on the left.

(1) At the junction with a large farm track, turn left to join the road leading to the village of Lantiern. Turn right and follow this road for about 500 metres, then turn right again to rejoin the wooded area you passed through earlier. The forest track winds through the woods until it meets a path coming from the right. Continue to the left to come out onto a small road.

(2) Turn left and follow the road until you reach the village of Lantiern.

(3) Walk around the village to admire the quality of the buildings, particularly the chapel (which you can visit), then take the small street to the south-west of the chapel. It ends in a cul-de-sac, but is extended by a rather damp path that allows you to leave the village. After about 500 metres, you will reach a crossroads where you should ignore the tarmac roads and take the dirt track heading west.
Before reaching the village of Kermoizan, ignore a path on the right and take the one that branches off to the left shortly afterwards.

(4) The path bends sharply to the right and disappears between the embankments. At its lowest point, poor drainage makes it impassable, forcing you to cross the riverside plot to get through this tricky section. As you climb back up, you will soon come to another small road at Branguen. Turn right to reach the hamlet of Kermoizan.

(5) As you approach the village, you will see a beautiful bread oven on the left side of the road. Turn left onto the path that opens up just before it. Winding its way along the edge of farmland, it eventually leads to Kermasson (please note: this section has recently been modified, so you will need to follow the fence line if there is no clear path). Take the road on the left and follow it to the hamlet of Quellec.

(6) At the first houses, take the road on the left and follow it for about 400 metres, then turn right towards Kerdavid. Shortly afterwards, a narrow passage has been created at the edge of the meadows on the left-hand side of the road. Slip through it to reach the wooded valley where the remains of a pond can be seen, just above the marshes that stretch as far as the Vilaine.

(7) Cross the valley on the footbridge and continue on the left along the path. You will soon come to the road leading to Broël Castle (there's no point in going to take a look, as it is hidden behind high walls) and continue straight ahead to get closer to the Vilaine, which you can see glinting through the trees below on the right. When you reach the shore, ignore the path that branches off to the left and continue along the top of the small cliff that follows the coastline here. At the end, there is a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the dam and the curve that precedes it.

(8) Descend from the promontory on the left, cross a small section of marshland, then climb up the opposite bank before reaching the Cosca marsh, which you will need to climb up to reach your destination. First, cross a dyke before slipping between the vegetation of the valley, which closes in as you go deeper into it. Take the opportunity to learn more by reading the information boards along the botanical trail that marks this part of the route.
Shortly before the end of the walk, don't miss the small fountain that springs from beneath the path, just before it curves to the left to complete the circular path (S/E).

The village of Lantiern and its chapel are worth a visit in their own right. Currently undergoing excavation, the chapel is not open to visitors. But usually, the key to enter is hung in a barn, just to the right of the Maison de la Sénéchaussée (guest house).

Now marking the boundary between ocean and fresh water, the Arzal Dam occupies a site that is not without interest. Depending on the tide, the levels of the downstream and upstream water bodies are offset, and a lock allows passage from one to the other. On busy days, the passage of boats is a real attraction, which can keep motorists stuck by the lifting of the bridge and others entertained. It sometimes lasts nearly an hour and the lock keeper knows how to put on a show!