Herbignac walks

The Château de Ranrouët is a medieval gem nestled on the edge of the marshes. Here, there is no fortified rock, but a slight elevation in the greenery. The marshes that surround it provided protection, and the proposed route winds through the surrounding countryside where land and water constantly mix.

Passing through clay extraction sites and former pottery villages, this route pays tribute to one of Herbignac’s traditional trades, which continued until the mid-20th century.

This route runs between the Brière and Mès marshes. These two protected wetlands are home to numerous birds, which you may spot along the way.

Although Herbignac is not the commune in Brière with the most thatched cottages, the villages along this route offer some fine examples.

Farming in the marshes has always relied on mowing and grazing the meadows when they were no longer covered in water. Cows prefer dry land to the aquatic environment, and providing them with winter refuge areas is key to ensuring the continuation of this farming practice. This route invites you to discover the pastures of La Chapelle des Marais.

Remnants of a time when much of what enabled the people of Bréca to make a living was extracted from the marsh, thatched cottages are still very much in evidence around Saint-Lyphard. There are said to be no fewer than 500 of them. To discover this exceptional heritage, why not hop on your bike and explore the narrow roads and farm tracks that criss-cross the Saint-Lyphard area? A complete change of scenery is guaranteed!

To the south of the Vilaine estuary, the gentle terrain encourages the intermingling of wetland and agricultural environments. The village of Camoël is built on a slight rise overlooking both the river and the marshes situated upstream of Pont Mahé Bay. The proposed route allows you to explore the river where its estuary begins and one of the streams feeding the Étang du Pont de Fer, a hidden nature reserve that can be glimpsed when the foliage is not too dense.

A pleasant, easy walk along the banks of the Vilaine through wooded countryside, forests and small villages. The path is fully signposted in white and red by theGR®39(left bank) andGR®349(right bank).

Running along the left bank of the Vilaine, this path follows the riverbank closely, linking the two ports of Arzal and La Roche-Bernard, and offering a multitude of landscapes and views of the Basse-Vilaine. In summer, you can also return by boat or canoe.

Walk starting from the Arzal Dam, following the Vilaine upstream on the left bank, circular route via the two bridges and finishing at the port of La Roche-Bernard. The scenery along the Vilaine is breathtaking.

Although La Roche-Bernard is an urban centre that locals refer to as a ‘town’, its area (40 ha) and population (approx. 700 inhabitants) make it one of the smallest county towns in France. It is surrounded by the communes of Nivillac, Herbignac and Férel, across which the majority of the urban area is spread. The proposed route takes you around the area.

A very pretty route which starts in the countryside and forest and then follows the course of the Vilaine river. The start and finish are at the very pretty port of La Roche-Bernard.

During this hike, discover a variety of landscapes: the river, the ocean and the countryside.

An hour-and-a-half circuit with a few tricky sections. This pleasant walk alternates seamlessly between passages at water's edge and ridge-climbing, and also spans two bridges some 50 m above the Vilaine. The bridge circuit allows you to discover a small section of the river as it crosses the Sillon de Bretagne. Get your calves ready!

The Mès, a small coastal river in the north of the Guérande peninsula, flows through a low, wide valley consisting mainly of marshes, draining the water into the ocean. The proposed route allows you to discover the upper part of these marshes and cross them via the Gras bridge, an ancient stone footbridge. This route should only be attempted when the water level in the marshes allows the paths surrounding them to be used.

As you approach La Roche-Bernard, the Vilaine river winds its way through the geological folds of southern Armorica. The result is a rugged, wooded landscape that is very pleasant to walk through.

As is often the case in Brittany, the landscape is not the result of tectonic forces, which would have created a few sharp-peaked mountains, but rather the result of numerous watercourses that have carved their way through the plateaus. The proximity of the Vilaine, which flows here through a narrow, steep-sided valley, has led secondary watercourses to cut through the moorland to join the river. Starting on the wooded plateau, the proposed route soon winds its way through these valleys, which, due to the decline of agriculture or the low value of this poor soil, have been left to more or less spontaneous woodland growth. The result is a undulating route that runs mostly in the shade of tall, beautiful trees, whilst connecting the countless hamlets that dot this lovely countryside.

The village of Arzal stretches from the foot of the church's pointed bell tower to the edge of the dam. Upstream, the river has become a huge body of water where thousands of boats are moored, while downstream, the maritime character of the estuary remains. The proposed route allows you to discover both aspects of the river and the bocage that overlooks it.

A country walk between Cosca, a stone's throw from the Arzal dam, and the Templar village of Lantiern.This walk along beautiful tree-lined paths and a few small roads connects the banks of the Vilaine estuary to the beautiful Saint-Jean-Baptiste Chapel, through pleasantly rolling countryside.The end of the route follows the botanical trail.The trail has been modified after the point (1), following the clear-cutting of the wooded area it used to cross, which made the trail disappear.

This hike allows you to discover the different faces of Brière: its marshes, its thatched cottages, its flora and fauna. Lots of paths, a few roads, all lined with oak trees, pines, gorse, willows and chestnut trees. Superb!

This small village of 18 thatched-roof houses was acquired in the 1970s by the Brière Regional Nature Park with the intention of renovating it and turning it into a showcase of traditional Brière housing. Kerhinet is a village situated to the south-west of the municipality of Saint-Lyphard, on the western side of the marshes. The village is open to visitors free of charge. You can enjoy a drink or an ice cream on site. There is a picnic area as well as free, designated parking.

On either side of La Roche-Bernard, the Vilaine flows through the South Armorican Fold, the first range of hills behind the coastline. Here, the river has carved out a steep-sided valley, and the proposed route allows you to explore the section immediately upstream of the Morbihan Bridge. The wooded slopes, varying in steepness, line the mirror-like surface formed by the dark waters of the Vilaine.

Located opposite La Roche-Bernard, on the other bank of the Vilaine, the commune of Marzan stretches across a plateau overlooking the river. On these heights, exposed to sea winds, the remains of several windmills can still be seen. Streams have carved out the rock and flow at the bottom of the valleys. Where it was possible to dam them, water mills were built. The proposed route takes you from one to the other through varied and pleasant countryside.

La Brière, France's second largest freshwater marsh, is a secret land hidden behind the surrounding hedgerows. The suggested route allows you to explore it from the land bordering it to the west and even catch a glimpse of it from the Sandun hill, which rises to a height of 28 metres. A real mountain in this flat country!But be careful, marshes are best explored when the water level allows it.Circuit temporarily closed

Discover the islands of Saint-Joachim and some of the islands of Saint-Malo-de-Guersac by bike, with some beautiful views of the Brière marshes.