Pointe de Cancaval and La Malouinière du Montmarin

Jutting out into the Rance estuary, Pointe de Cancaval offers beautiful views of the right bank: from Saint-Servan to Saint-Malo, the dam and the moorings dotted along the coast.
During the walk, you will notice La Malouinière de Montmarin and its remarkable garden, which is one of the most beautiful private residences, and two tidal mill sites that bear witness to the industrial past linked to the tidal range.

Details

16978633
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.67 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 32 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 33 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 29 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Pleurtuit (35730|35870)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.599827° / W 2.036394°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1116ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: Coming from Dinard or the Rance dam, drive through the village of La Richardais to a place called Moulin Neuf and, at the bend in the D 114, turn onto the Étang du Moulin Neuf esplanade to park.

(S/E) Return to the D 114. Cross the road and follow it to the right for a few dozen metres. Take thefirst small road on the left towards a large white building that straddles the river (this house is located on the site of a tide mill, of which only the dams remain). The road passes through the property as a coastal right of way.

(1) Continue along the well-marked path (GR®, red and white markings). Stay along the river and then Anse des Rivières.

(2) At the intersection, go straight ahead, still along the edge of the cove.

(3) At the narrow point, go around the headland in either direction and enjoy the beautiful views of the Rance estuary.

(3) Retrace your steps to the previous intersection.

(2) Leave theGR® by taking a path on the left. Cross a small car park and continue south along Route de Cancaval. The road is lined with characterful houses. You will reach the monumental gate of La Malouinière on your left (Château du Montmarin).

(4) Continue straight ahead and, about 200 metres after the gate, take a dead-end path on the left. At the end of the cul-de-sac, take a path on the right that descends to the wash house at the end of the cove.

(5) Take the road on the left (former water reservoir for the tide mill). The road ends at a slipway, the ruins of the mill foundations and an isolated house, which was probably the miller's house. Retrace your steps.

(5) Continue along Route du Champ Rozé. At the T-junction, turn left. Cross the D 114 (calvary) and follow the road opposite towards Pleurtuit. Cross the hamlet of Les Forges.

(6) At the exit of Les Forges, turn right onto a path (signposted "Cyclistes"). The path winds through a tall forest and follows a stream that feeds the Moulin Neuf pond. At the exit of the forest, turn right and walk along a pond on your right. At the end of the pond, you will find the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 10 m - Esplanade of the Étang du Moulin Neuf
  2. 1 : km 0.39 - alt. 6 m - Old tide mill
  3. 2 : km 1.02 - alt. 24 m - Intersection - Access to the point
  4. 3 : km 1.61 - alt. 13 m - Pointe de Cancaval
  5. 4 : km 3.18 - alt. 24 m - Château du Montmarin
  6. 5 : km 3.44 - alt. 7 m - Wash house
  7. 6 : km 4.73 - alt. 20 m - Start of the path
  8. S/E : km 5.67 - alt. 10 m - Esplanade of the Étang du Moulin Neuf

Notes

Benches are installed along the entire route of Pointe de Cancaval.
On your return from the Pointe, at (2), you can take the path on the left, which also leads back to the Route de Cancaval.

Worth a visit

La Malouinière Le Montmarin, built in 1757 by Aron Magon du Bos, was bought after his death in 1777 by a rope maker from Saint-Servan: Benjamin Dubois (see L'Épopée des Malouinières - Editions Cristel).
Only the remarkable gardens of the Malouinière are open to visitors from April to October (telephone: 02.99.8858.79).

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
JP42720
JP42720

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful walk with stunning views of the Rance

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fenlabuche60
fenlabuche60
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

lovely sunny walk with a beautiful viewpoint to be enjoyed without moderation

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Bois et Marais
Bois et Marais

We did it last week with our association. A beautiful hike where the colours of autumn
are beginning to appear. We set off from Montmarin Castle, where the owner gave us
allowed us to have a picnic facing the Rance. Great

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Coriolan2
Coriolan2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy and very pleasant route with superb views of the bay, the Rance estuary and St Malo. The view from the Pointe de Cancaval is magical. The route is varied, taking in woodland, forest and a little tarmac, but not too much. The gradient is easy. In the direction we took it, it ends alongside a pond, which is a pleasant way to finish the route. We did the route in dry weather. You will need to be careful in wet weather as there is a risk of slipping. The Visiorando description allowed us to follow our progress point by point. The GR markings sometimes disappear.

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Bois et Marais
Bois et Marais

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We started from the Montmarin garden. A very beautiful walk, with views of the Rance and Saint Malo.

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Hervé74
Hervé74

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

In fact, I mainly used the route map and not so much the description (hence the "good" rating).
The circular is interesting, with views of LaRichardais, passing near Moulin Neuf and Malouinière du Montmarin (the icing on the cake was a free modern art exhibition that we enjoyed).
A beautiful walk with a partly shaded path, which we enjoyed under the beautiful Breton sun on 6 August.

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lovaly64
lovaly64

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route.
Lots of wonderful discoveries.

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Sandrine Bellenger-Moldoch
Sandrine Bellenger-Moldoch

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery!!!!

The route follows the GR trail for most of the way.
As mentioned in previous reviews, the hike is particularly interesting in winter, when the deciduous trees have lost their leaves, as this allows you to fully enjoy the view of the estuary, the dam, Saint Servan, etc.
The only drawback is that the gardens of the malouinière are closed at this time (they open on 1 April).

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marieodile
marieodile

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Like the people who commented on this beautiful hike before us, we discovered it in winter, which allowed us to enjoy the superb unobstructed views of the estuary, as the deciduous trees had lost their leaves.
The car park was indeed soggy, but it is not difficult to find an alternative.

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Pauline21
Pauline21

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb views of Saint Malo and the Rance River!
We parked in the car park: Les Baumées de Cancaval.

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JPED
JPED

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On 13 January 2022, parking along the Moulin Neuf pond was not possible due to recent rains that had soaked the car park.
We parked our cars in the car park of La Richardais church and walked to the cove of the old mill via the departmental road (300 metres). We walked around it using the steps on the left of the departmental road, which descend to water level (GR trail).

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BACHATA94
BACHATA94

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery, this route along the Rance. Beautiful views and landscapes that change constantly with the tide and the light... I never tire of it!
Thank you for this route.

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waiwaite
waiwaite

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, with superb views over the Rance estuary.
Just the right amount of hills. The description is clear and precise. And we had good weather too. Perfect for working up an appetite before Christmas Eve dinner.

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