From Port Joinville to the Grand Phare and the Vieux Château

(S/E) Leave the town hall by turning left towards the nearby square overlooking the quay. Turn left and exit via Rue Jeanne d'Arc to reach Rue des Mariés. When you reach Rue Gabriel Guist'hau, turn left and then immediately right into Rue du Secret. Follow this road to the end and continue along Rue du Paradis.

(1) When you reach Rue du Courseau, turn left onto Rue du Puits Mulet. Walk up this street and continue along Rue de la Citadelle, which extends it. When you reach the woods surrounding Fort de Pierre Levée, enter the woods via the path that starts just at the corner of the woods. It winds its way through the trees before reaching the edge of the citadel's moat (beautiful view), then returns to the path that leads to it. Turn left to cross the trench in the rampart and the bridge over the moat, before going through the fort's gate.

(2) Once through the gate, you can follow the signposted route to visit the lower part of the fort or simply cross the courtyard to reach the south-west bastion. As a result of the destruction caused during the Second World War, a passageway has been created through this bastion, allowing you to escape from the citadel and return to the surrounding woods. Take the path to Rue de Saint Amand and follow it to the left until you reach the industrial estate.

(3) Turn left at the Peugeot garage onto Route des Roches Cougnères, then Route de la Rollandière. Like most roads on the island, this one is narrow and has almost no shoulder. Even though motorised traffic is limited, remain cautious when travelling along this section of road.

(4) When you reach Ker Chauvineau, turn right at the first street and follow it to the next crossroads. Then turn left, then right onto Rue des Soucis twenty metres further on. These two streets form the heart of the village, which you leave by turning right at the end of Rue des Soucis. A hundred metres further on, turn right at the three-way junction and continue along a path that leads into the countryside - Rue de la Belle Maison. You leave the urbanised areas behind for countryside where there are still a few traces of agricultural activity, but most of the plots are fallow and only a few hunters' paths still allow access to these moors. Continue straight ahead until you reach the elegant white tower of the large lighthouse.

(5) At the foot of the lighthouse, turn left and follow the track that runs alongside the aerodrome to reach the coastal path.

(6) You will then reach a rocky coastline where the ocean crashes against the rocks. Climb the path to the left, following the cliff edge as closely as possible to fully enjoy the rugged coastline and views of the foreshore at low tide. At high tide and in rough weather, keeping your distance is not only a precaution, it is also a necessity.
Up to Pointe du Châtelet, dominated by the Croix des Marins, you will overlook a succession of coves with caves, which are unfortunately invisible from the path.

(7) Protected by Pointe du Châtelet, Sabias beach is a small haven of tranquillity dotted with a few colourful huts. On the other side of the bay stand the imposing ruins of the Old Castle, barely visible among the rocks. Follow the road along the beach and turn right as soon as you pass it to continue along the coastal path. Descend into the valley at the Grotte du Dail to climb up the opposite bank and reach the castle from the top of the cliff.

(8) Whether it is open or not, you can descend to the castle gate via the footbridge that leads to it. The place is impressive, with the water bubbling beneath your feet. Retrace your steps until you reach the coastal path and take the path that crosses it to head inland. Further on, leave this path by turning right onto another path that cuts across the moor. From this spot, one of the highest on the island and where the moor is bare, the view stretches over much of the island's southern coastline.

(9) At a rocky outcrop piercing the ground to the left of the path, turn left onto a path that descends towards a wooded area. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths and tracks that branch off to the right, until you reach the carriage road that connects La Meule to Port Joinville. Cross this road and, at the next crossroads, turn left to reach a more open area and approach the first houses of the village of Ker Bossy.

(10) As you approach the houses, you will come to a crossroads with six paths. If, from the Old Castle, you have been following the yellow markings, which are useful in this landscape with few landmarks, leave them on your left and continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, you can take a short detour to the left to see the Christianised menhir located about 150 m away, just off the road. Don't expect to see a monumental stone. On such poor soil, even menhirs have struggled to grow tall!
Back at the crossroads, take Rue du Cap Horn, then Rue de Moby Dick, and finally Chemin de la Grande Remangère. These roads link up to form a wide arc that skirts around the heart of Ker Bossy.

(11) At the crossroads with Chemin Pierre Bertrand, continue straight on along Chemin de la Grande Remangère until you reach Chemin du Chiron Coutret. Then turn left and follow this tree-lined path until you reach Moulin de Calvaire. Once there, turn right onto the path that leads to the small chapel of Père de Monfort.

(12) This elevated site offers a beautiful view of the northern coastline. Return to the mill, turn right, then left before the first houses of Ker Châlon. Cross the village via Rue Mélusine and the adjoining streets until you reach Chemin du Meunier. After a fairly steep descent, the street turns into a small path that cuts through a valley before climbing back up to Rue de la Filière. Cross this street and take the path opposite, which joins Rue des Émigrés. Turn right, then left a few dozen metres further on to reach the site of the Moulin du Camp.

(13) Turn right at the foot of the mill, then left when you reach the next crossroads. Walk up Rue du Camp until you reach a crossroads overlooked by a tall crenellated house. With your back to the house, take the street on the left at the three-way junction opposite and go down Rue du Petit Moulin until you reach the crossroads with Rue de la Croix du Port/Rue Pierre Henry. Cross this road to take the small Rue de l'Ymer and join Rue Neptune. Once you reach this street, follow it to the left until you reach the roundabout, cross it and head towards the fishing port. When you reach the port area (restricted access), turn left into the alleyway at the foot of the fish market and you will come out onto Rue de la Plage, near the ferry terminal. Head towards the quay, which is dominated by the tall façade of the town hall (S/E).

This route follows part of several circular routes on the island, marked in yellow or red and white. As usual, these markings should be ignored (except between points (8) and (10), where the yellow markings are very useful), as the proposed route does not correspond entirely to any of these trails and differs in several places from those that are marked.

When using the island's trails, be careful not to go beyond the established boundaries, especially on the coastal trail. Overuse of such fragile environments is unforgiving, and even your footprints can contribute to their degradation.

This route was discovered in March, after a very rainy period, and we encountered many flooded paths. However, the water remains on the surface and the ground is still firm and stable. Don't panic, a good pair of waterproof shoes will get you through most of the difficult passages. And for the others, it is always possible to find a dry passage through the riverside properties.

Out of season, there is no point looking for supplies anywhere other than Port Joinville or Saint Sauveur. If you are setting off for several hours, make sure you take enough supplies with you.

One of the island's advantages is that every path has a name, and there are countless signs to remind you of this. This makes it easy to find your way around, especially as detailed maps of the island are readily available.

As well as searching for megaliths hidden in the moorland or vegetation, this walk is also an opportunity to stroll with your nose in the air. It's fun to look for all the weather vanes that adorn the roofs of the island. Although sailing boats and fish are the most common themes, the range of objects and animals represented is wide and appealing. A great theme for a photo hunt!