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(S/E) At the foot of the church in Arzal, in the centre of the village, take Rue des Lauriers, which branches off to the left behind the butcher's shop. Follow this street until you reach Rue des Noisetiers on the left, then continue slightly to the right along Rue du Lavoir. A passage between two properties leads to the RD148. Turn right, cross the roundabout and continue straight on until you leave the built-up area.
(1) At Bellevue, take the small road on the right and, after the warehouse, turn right onto the path that runs alongside the hedge. Follow this path until you reach another road.
From this path, you begin to glimpse the river, or at least its valley. On the opposite bank, the large white buildings are those of the water treatment plant that supplies part of Morbihan and neighbouring Loire-Atlantique.
(2) Cross the road and take the path slightly to the left that descends the hillside. It slides down to the bottom of the valley and turns left when it reaches it to follow the ditch that runs there. Further on, a footbridge allows you to cross the stream before the path climbs up the opposite slope to reach Colon.
Cross the village, ignoring the roads that branch off to the left and right, and after the last house, turn left onto the path that descends towards the Vilaine. Cross a footbridge. Turn left, then right just before the entrance to the residential park and follow the fence until you reach the riverbank.
(3) At the edge of the river, there are still a few sections of alluvial meadows, which were once regularly covered by the tide (the marshes). Although now gentle, these areas have retained some of their original appearance as wet meadows. They can be difficult to walk on in winter. Erosion caused by wave action (small waves caused by the wind or passing boats) is continuously reducing these areas, which are no longer fed by sediment from the river and the sea.
Walk along the riverbank to the first boat parks, turn right and join the road that serves the various activities. Turn left twice and then right to reach the harbour master's office. Follow the quay to the right and, to reach the road that crosses the dam, take the stairs on the right before the lock. Walk back up towards the shops.
(4) Cross the RD139 and go around the Jardins de l'Estuaire housing estate. You can cross it via the footpaths that criss-cross it, but it is private property and you may be reprimanded for doing so.
At the roundabout, turn left onto Rue du Port, then take the sharp left turn onto Rue des Éclusiers.
(5) Below the "Les Gabelous" holiday village (a beautiful place for group accommodation), walk along the bottom of the meadow and continue to Vieille Roche via the road and the path.
This place has the same name as the one on the other bank. At a time when the Vilaine had no other crossings than Redon, and later La Roche-Bernard, ferrymen connected the two banks by boat. Vieille Roche was one of these crossing points.
This location and the profits that were inevitably made from it explain the wealth of buildings found there."
Leave the riverbank and follow the road until you reach a crossroads.
(6) Once you have passed the crossroads, immediately take a path on the left that leads into the valley between two stone embankments. Go down the steep and sometimes slippery slope, then cross the stream on the footbridge. Turn left, following the earth embankment through the reed bed, reach dry land for the first time and go back down into the marsh before reaching a rocky outcrop overlooking the riverbank.
Here, the environment changes as it is still subject to direct maritime influences.
(7) Turn right and head towards Coscat.
Information panels along the botanical trail provide information about the plants that grow there.
From the trail, there is a very interesting view of the Vilaine river, from the dam to the outskirts of the port of Tréhiguier. Depending on the time of day, the tides and the light transform this landscape, where sailing boats come and go from the sea."
(8) On leaving Coscat, turn left towards Trénué, then right at the first intersection. Pass the houses and continue along the dirt track parallel to the Lantiern road for 600 metres.
(9) Leave the path on the left to join the road and continue to the right until the end. The route then enters a wooded area (probably private) which it skirts around the eastern edge before cutting across the middle to join a path. Cross the embankment and turn right onto the path.
(10) After three alternating bends, the path rejoins the Arzal road at Lantiern. As you pass, ignore the two paths that branch off to the right.
Cross the road and continue straight ahead. Turn right after 150 metres, then join the road at Ville au Vent.
(11) Turn right and head towards the town centre along Rue du Parc du Bourg until you reach Arzal church (S/E).
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