Hédé and its locks

A pleasant hike where you can enjoy the paths and small roads to Hédé.
Then follow theGR®37trail, which will take you to the canal. Return along the towpaths to the starting point.
Don't forget your camera.

Details

3052413
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.21 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 171 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 194 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 354 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 161 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Hédé (35630)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.30205° / W 1.770472°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1117SB, 1217SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the Trail Parcours car park, follow the canal north-west.

(1) At the first road on the right, leave the canal and head south.
Cross the village of Bélême

(2) Cross the D221 in the village of Le Rocher and take the path opposite. At the fork, continue to the right and you will come to a road.

(3) Turn right onto this road and follow the castle route to reach the centre of Hédé. Cross the D 287 and then two other roads.

(4) At the entrance to Hédé, near a sports ground, continue straight ahead, passing to the right of the fire station and a retirement home, where you turn left.

(5) Take a sharp right turn, then a left turn to reach Rue du Four, which leads to Rue de la Barrière. Follow this road to the left.

(6) Opposite the town hall, turn right onto Rue Saint-Louis towards the ruins.
You can walk around the ruins of the castle, of which little remains except for a few sections of wall.

(7) Head back to Place du Château, then turn right onto Rue de la Barrière and follow it for a few metres before turning left onto Rue du Beau Manoir. Cross the church square and turn left onto Côte de la Motte until you reach the cemetery.

(8) Take the small path on the right that runs alongside the D87. After the village of Le Cerisier, turn right onto theGR®37, following a small stream to the canal.

(9) You will come back to the canal, which you follow to the left in a north-westerly direction to a place called La Magdeleine, where the canal museum is located.

(10) Cross the canal and then descend to the right onto the north bank of the canal until you reach the D287.

(11) Turn right to cross the canal, then left to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 223 ft - Trail parking
  2. 1 : mi 0.55 - alt. 226 ft - Turn right at the road.
  3. 2 : mi 1.12 - alt. 354 ft - Crossing the D221
  4. 3 : mi 1.9 - alt. 348 ft - Fork in the road to the right.
  5. 4 : mi 3.34 - alt. 318 ft - Entrance to Hédé
  6. 5 : mi 3.74 - alt. 315 ft - Right-hand hairpin bend
  7. 6 : mi 3.94 - alt. 305 ft - Rue Saint-Louis opposite the town hall.
  8. 7 : mi 4.05 - alt. 308 ft - The castle ruins
  9. 8 : mi 4.48 - alt. 233 ft - Cemetery
  10. 9 : mi 5.32 - alt. 217 ft - Edge of the - Canal d'Ille-et-Rance
  11. 10 : mi 5.97 - alt. 161 ft - Canal Museum
  12. 11 : mi 7.11 - alt. 226 ft - Crossing the canal
  13. S/E : mi 7.21 - alt. 223 ft - Trail parking

Notes

Picnic tables near the castle or restaurants nearby.

Worth a visit

Castle ruins.
Visit to the Canal Museum (1 to 1½ hours).
Series of locks.

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

4.5 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
mimi35520
mimi35520

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

New route discovered a few kilometres from my home.
Discovery of the village of Hédé and its magnificent locks.
I'll be back when the sun's out 😉

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ACCF77
ACCF77
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting and varied route starting from the church, combining shaded and sunny sections, paths along fields and then through the forest to arrive at the banks of the Ille/Rance canal and its eleven locks. At the end of July, the areas around the locks and the lock keepers' houses are particularly well decorated with hydrangeas and various other plants.
Peace and tranquillity await you. An easy hike to follow with Visorando.

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JPED
JPED

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy route, completed with our grandchildren without any particular problems.

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Agapouack
Agapouack

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route at this time of year, and I highly recommend it.
A few sections are difficult to follow in the description (the small path on the right at the start and in the village), but nothing serious.

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MARTDomi
MARTDomi

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Description a little difficult to follow in the village.
Reference to the trial car park: nothing is indicated anywhere.
An update might be necessary.
Otherwise, the hike is easy to follow, varied and enjoyable.

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ERIC56650
ERIC56650

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A pleasant walk following the locks.
Highly recommended.

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crisdumoulin
crisdumoulin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An excellent walk to stretch your legs after lockdown. Mostly shaded, which is much appreciated during this little May heatwave. It's the perfect time to see the locks in bloom; two weeks earlier would have been ideal for the "huge" rhododendrons. The picnic at the foot of the ruined castle was also very good. Highly recommended.

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