Fougères Forest - The Old Castles and the Cordon des Druides

Parking at Carrefour du Père Tacot. Car park on the left-hand side of the road when coming from Carrefour de Chênedet (D177).

Yellow markings
There are also the remains of some faded blue markings and, at the start, some orange circles: stick to the yellow markings, which are recent and sufficiently dense. Here and there, you will find signs for the "Promenade des Vieux Châteaux" and "Route des Vieux Châteaux". Markings and signs in both directions.
For the most part, you will be following paths that do not appear on the IGN map.

(S/E) Looking across the road (south) from the car park, take the path that starts to the left of the forest barrier (sign). The path quickly turns left and keeps away from the road on the left. Cross a stream via a footbridge and, at the next fork, take the left-hand path. At the bottom of a short descent, at another fork, turn left to cross a stream on a footbridge. Continue along the path and, at a fork, take the right-hand path. At a T-junction, turn left onto a wider path.

(1) At the crossroads (Étang de Saint-François on the left), take a path that leaves to the left of the forest barrier opposite (do not continue along the wide path). Walk as close as possible to the pond on your left. Further on, leave the pond, cross a stream and turn left towards the pond on a path through the ferns (yellow arrow on the cement pipe of an underground aqueduct). Continue along the pond and then continue through the undergrowth. Turn left to cross a stream on a small wooden bridge and continue along a path.

(2) Follow a small road to the right (sign). Ignore the road that branches off to the right towards Fremy, go past a forest barrier and continue on the tarmac road. About a hundred metres after the barrier, turn left onto a path (sign in the undergrowth; be careful to spot this path). After winding through the undergrowth, cross a wide path which is none other than the embankment of the underground aqueduct encountered earlier. Continue straight ahead along the path.

(3) At a T-junction, turn left onto a wide path. After about 100 metres, just before the aqueduct embankment, turn right onto a path through the undergrowth (sign). After crossing several streams on footbridges, approach the aqueduct embankment without crossing it. Make a circular route to the left to reach the site of the Old Castles (sign).

(4) After this site, cross the aqueduct embankment (wet crossing) and continue along a path. Further on, leave an aqueduct pipe on your left and cross several streams. Walk south-west then south, alternating between a path through ferns and a narrower path through the woods. Then turn right (south-west) onto a wider path. Cross a wide forest lane (on the left, you can see the starting point) and continue straight ahead on a path. Reach the first stones of the Cordon des Druides.

(5) Walk along the Cordon des Druides. Cross a tarmac road and continue along a path through the undergrowth. In a clearing, cross a small ditch or faint path and then turn left onto a path. Quickly leave this path and take a path on the left through the ferns, which runs roughly parallel to it (follow the markings carefully). Turn left to return to the undergrowth. Cross a stream and return to the starting point at the forest barrier (S/E).

In dry weather, good trainers are sufficient for this hike. In wet weather, wear good hiking boots (many potentially muddy sections).

During the hunting season (October to February), avoid Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, when hunting parties are organised.

No water sources identified. Picnic tables at the starting point.

A 1:25,000 map is essential (at least the one accompanying this description). A compass may be useful.

Additional information:
This hike can be combined with another hike in the Fougères National Forest described on the website, with a short drive in between:
- Les Celliers de Landéan: departure from Carrefour de Chênedet, about 1km away.
- La Pierre Courcoulée: departure from Carrefour du Poulailler, about 4 km away.

Hike completed by the author on 29 August 2015.

The place known as Les Vieux Châteaux is the site of an ancient burial mound. However, it is difficult to recognise any structure...

The Cordon des Druides (5) is an alignment of eighty small menhirs, the origin of which is unknown. For more information, see the website of the Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie du Pays de Fougères.