From Saint-Senoux to Pléchatel along the Vilaine

From the charming village of Saint-Senoux, head towards the banks of the Vilaine, first following the Voie Verte and then the other bank overlooking it to discover the green countryside.
Some sections are a little challenging, mainly in the southern circular loop (between (4) and (7)). But the panoramic views that greet walkers make it all worthwhile.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 170 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 165 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 90 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 8 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Saint-Senoux (35580)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.905177° / W 1.787839°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1119SB, 1120SB, 1219SB, 1220SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Saint-Senoux church car park.

Red and white markings

(S/E) Head north on Rue de Coat Senen. Go down the four steps, leaving the shop on your left.
After crossing a small stream, take the path on the right. At the calvary, continue straight ahead: head south-east then east.
Walk along the water on your right, then follow the path on the right that runs alongside the Ruisseau de la Frominette stream.
Cross the road (marked as dangerous), then continue opposite to follow the Ruisseau de la Saudrais.

No more markings

(1) Please note that this point is difficult to spot Leave thePR®® by turning left just after a stagnant pool covered with green duckweed, cross the stream and continue on the left, going around the sports field to reach the road that leads to Cambrée.
Cross the road, continue straight ahead and turn right onto the second road for 100 metres.
At the fork, turn left. After 100m, continue straight ahead on a path that leads to the Ruisseau de la Frominette.
Follow this path to its end.

(2) Turn right to pass under the bridge and immediately after, turn right again. Join the Voie Verte along the edge of the Vilaine.

(3) Turn left and follow the Vilaine to the Charrière bridge.

(4) Route change August 2018: The old passage is no longer maintained (log staircase on the left after the bridge), a new staircase is under construction just before the bridge. When it opens, it will allow you to climb up to the bridge and cross the Vilaine. Until then, go under the bridge and take the first road on the left. At the fork with the D84, turn left to cross the bridge.

Turn right towards the Leisure Park and the Beach building.
Just after this, take the path on the right, then the large lane on the left, leaving the access to the pier on your right. Ignore all the paths that branch off to the left. After a steep descent, continue on the right.

Yellow markings

You will be overlooking the Vilaine with a panoramic view of the other bank: the Greenway you took earlier.
Follow the path, which is very well marked in yellow.

(5) After passing the access to the Prairie de Maupoint (picnic table) on your right, the path makes a wide turn to the left. This joins a gravel road.

(6) A few metres after the "Croix de Saint-Hubert" calvary, leave the gravel road and take the path on the left (between two large rocks). It winds through the forest and ends at a road.

No more signposts

See note below

Turn right, then left at the fork. After 100 metres, take the path on the left that leads to the Prieuré wash house.

Red and white markings forthe GR®®39

At the junction, continue to the right. Pass in front of the Notre-Dame de la Salette Chapel and then reach the Sacré-Coeur Chapel. Continuing to the left, reach the Oratory and go down the stairs (yellow markings) to arrive on the road.

(7) Turn right. Pass the beach and the leisure park again. Turn left and cross the bridge again.

(4) Continue straight ahead. Turn right onto a path and follow the railway line for a while. Turn left to cross the bridge and continue westwards to reach the Route de la Chopinais.

(8) Turn right and, in the hamlet of La Pronnais, continue to the left.
Crossing Le Feuil, the road bends to the right. One hundred metres after the bend, follow the path on the left.
Continue right on Route de la Douettée for 70 metres, then turn left onto a path that runs alongside the road. Continue along this path.
After the housing estate on your right, continue straight ahead to reach the road, cross the small wooden bridge and cross the car park to reach the church car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 55 m - Church car park
  2. 1 : km 1.42 - alt. 29 m - Leaving the PR - turn left
  3. 2 : km 2.44 - alt. 12 m - Turn right to pass under the bridge.
  4. 3 : km 2.83 - alt. 9 m - Greenway - Vilaine (fleuve)
  5. 4 : km 4.77 - alt. 10 m - Stairs on the left. Confluence of the Vilaine and - Semnon (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 6.63 - alt. 19 m - Maupoint Meadow
  7. 6 : km 7.71 - alt. 50 m - Path on the left
  8. 7 : km 9.1 - alt. 26 m - Road on the right
  9. 8 : km 10.93 - alt. 37 m - Road on the right
  10. S/E : km 12.72 - alt. 55 m - Church car park

Notes

There are picnic tables at several points along the route.

Between (7) and the "La Plage" building, there are toilets in a rest area.

Worth a visit

Note: When you reach the road, turn left to quickly reach (7), avoiding the circular chapel route, which is somewhat challenging.

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

4.3 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Moizan
Moizan

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, well marked overall. However, the markings become a little complicated with signs for other routes running parallel to it in the La Plage and La Levée sur Pléchatel areas.

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Patfor72
Patfor72

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, especially along the Villaine river.

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LECOURTJ
LECOURTJ

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, starting from this pretty Breton village in the hills, gently descending to the banks of the Vilaine. Woods, towpath, leisurely climb back to the starting point. Hesitations at the starting point: it would seem simpler to say: park in the church car park, walk down towards the small wooden bridge from where you can see the sign for the local walks. Facing the sign, take the wide path on the right and climb immediately towards the calvary (visible), then continue straight along this path until you reach the pond. Once there, do not cross the road, but descend along the stream on its left bank.
The rest is perfectly described. Thank you!

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domi35580
domi35580

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

This hike explores the agricultural past of the commune of St Senoux, the spread of its hamlets and how people managed the forests in the past. The direction of this circular route is well chosen, and the route can be shortened if the weather deteriorates or one of the participants' health deteriorates. The length of the route also makes it an appetiser for those wanting to get to grips with hiking.

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tugny44
tugny44

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We followed this route in ideal weather conditions, i.e. sunny but not excessively hot.
This route takes us through pleasant surroundings, between La Vilaine and the small cliffs that surround it.
The only (slight) difficulty encountered was the passage between points 5 and 6. In this area, there are so many paths that it is easy to get lost, even with the smartphone app.
That said, we recommend this trail with its technical sections, just the way we like them.
We completed this route in 2 hours and 45 minutes.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for your comment. Neither Visorando nor the authors are responsible for the signposting. Signposts are often included in the descriptions when they are present on the ground, but they can disappear, so it is best to rely on the description and the map.

See you soon!

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stmh1978
stmh1978

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful route.
The uneven section on the left bank of the Vilaine, near Pléchâtel beach, is difficult to see on the map due to
there are numerous overlapping routes. The blue markings, which are only found on the right bank (Saint Senoux side), should be continued.
Thank you.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback.

Unmarked sections between 5 and 6 are not easy to spot.

The markings are not the responsibility of the author or Visorando.

Visorando does not recommend markings as they can be modified or erased, whereas information about the terrain is stable.

Visorando provides a detailed description and a 1:25,000 IGN map. And if markings are essential for you, Visorando offers free virtual markings in the form of a GPS app.

See you soon!

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Jean GUILLEMIN
Jean GUILLEMIN

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Overall, as described.
No more green algae in the pond.
Unmarked sections between 5 and 6 steps are difficult to spot.

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bguillot86
bguillot86

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A really nice hike, especially the upper part!

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VOELTZEL
VOELTZEL

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

It's not very exciting... There's nothing special to see as long as you're "down below"... There's no pretty route along a river. The Vilaine is a bit monotonous at the end, a bit like a canal.
On the other hand, the climb above the Vilaine is much more interesting. The calvary and all the religious stations, the numerous steps carved into the schist are spectacular.

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madofrecagui
madofrecagui

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Excellent hike.
Time indicated for leisurely walkers (completed in 3 hours)
Between 5 and 6, the markings can be confusing.

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