La Rance at Quelmer, La Passagère and the boat graveyard.

The path runs along the right bank of the Rance, overlooking its rocky coves, which resemble Mediterranean calanques. Along the way, stop at La Passagère, where you can see the Maison du Passeur and the house of Commander Jean Charcot. In the cove, you will find the boat graveyard, the only place where old hulls from the Rance valley are beached.

Details

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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.66 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 47 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 43 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 38 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Saint-Malo (35400)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.613566° / W 1.998569°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1116ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the foot of the wall of the Manoir de la Goëletrie.

(S/E) Take the main street (Rue de Troctin) northwards for a good hundred metres and, after the bend at the manor house, turn left into the alleyway. This leads to the end of Troctin Bay, where the path starts on the left.

(1) Turn left onto the path marked with yellow signs, which follows the coastline with significant elevation changes, including several staircases and steps. You will arrive at Pointe du Grouin, the Passagère boat launch and the Maison de Quartier.

(2) Take the D5 road for a few dozen metres, then turn right to go around the Maison de Quartier. At the end, take the path that descends to the beach. The descent is tricky and a rope serves as a handrail. After 150 m, the path returns to the road. Continue to the right, then turn right to descend towards the shipyard (sign).

(3) Find the coastal path to the left of the boat graveyard and follow it to the end to reach the beach.

(4) Walk along the shore for 50 metres and then rejoin the path, the entrance to which may be hidden by vegetation.

(5) Walk past the foot of a wash house, going around it. After about 50 metres, the path climbs up to the left (do not go down to the foreshore) and leads to the Chemin de la Ferme de la Chaise. Cross the road carefully (stop sign) and continue straight ahead across the fields (signs for "La Goëletrie").

(6) At the end of the field, take the path in front of you, ignoring the path that branches off to the right. Walk along the high walls of large properties, cross a communal road and then Rue de la Passagère, and continue straight ahead until you reach Rue de la Goëletrie.

(7) Turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 20 m - Rue de la Goëletrie, manor house
  2. 1 : km 0.35 - alt. 9 m - Coastal path, on the left
  3. 2 : km 2.95 - alt. 9 m - D5, slipway
  4. 3 : km 3.81 - alt. 8 m - Marine cemetery.
  5. 4 : km 4.66 - alt. 7 m - Beach
  6. 5 : km 4.8 - alt. 10 m - Wash house fed by the stream.
  7. 6 : km 5.75 - alt. 31 m - At the end of the field, opposite
  8. 7 : km 6.45 - alt. 27 m - Rue de la Goëletrie
  9. S/E : km 6.66 - alt. 19 m - Rue de la Goëletrie, manor house

Worth a visit

The Maison du Passeur (now the Maison de Quartier) was home to the ferryman, who until 1959 was responsible for ferrying people across the Rance between La Passagère and La Jouvente on the left bank. The place remains marked by the tragedy that occurred one night in December 1790, when the ferryman Carré, his wife and six of his daughters were murdered. Never solved, this murder may have been the work of smugglers surprised during the night by Carré.

Opposite the Maison du Passeur is the villa of Commander Jean Charcot, from which he could supervise the work being carried out on his boat "Le Pourquoi Pas?" in the shipyards on the other bank in the cove of Mont Marin.

See the Malouinière du Bos, route de la Passagère-Quelmer.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 6965969

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike mainly along the banks of the Rance (view of the dam).
Unfortunately, it was raining heavily, which prevented us from fully enjoying the scenery and made some sections slippery
We encountered perhaps two inconsistencies along the way, but they were quickly resolved
In summary, this hike is recommended in good weather

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BéaSabbe
BéaSabbe

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I loved this short hike with my family at the end of October with a 4-year-old girl and a baby in a baby carrier. We shortened the hike to about 5 km for our granddaughter, starting from the centre of Quelmer (towards point 25 on the map) and joining the GRP, finishing at point 4 and returning to the centre. It was really great and the boat graveyard is definitely worth seeing.

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Pelmas
Pelmas

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Be careful at the start, as you have to walk along the road for about 100 metres. Only after the bend can you use the hard shoulder on the right and be safe before crossing and taking the path on the left.
Note that at point 2, after passing the community centre on your right, you must cross the picnic area on your left and join the path at the bottom on your right (as indicated by "le vince").
I frequently used the app and GPS, especially after the boat cemetery, to complete this loop without any mistakes.
In summary, this is a superb route without too many difficulties, which is not very busy even in the middle of August.

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andrerel
andrerel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very few people encountered on this highly interesting route, which offers beautiful views of the Rance and remarkable renovated old dwellings.

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Marion VR
Marion VR ★

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike with superb views! The boat graveyard is astonishing.

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le vince
le vince

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant little walk with some very pretty views (the wash house, the boat graveyard, the view of La Richardais opposite, the two large properties (Malouinières?) a little further inland...). At point 2, I actually went around the Quartier house and looked for the path starting from the beach...when you just have to walk along it and pass the little square where people gather to chat and picnic, then join the path at the bottom on the right. In fact, don't hesitate to follow the yellow and red markings, then, as the author of the hike indicates, the sign for "la Goëletterie" once you are inland, near the large properties.
It took me about an hour and a half, and as I had some time left, I then went to St Jouan des Guérets (also marked in yellow and red) where another route starts from the tide mill and goes to the boat cemetery. I went as far as the cove of Quelmer.
I think there should be a way to connect these two walks.

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RIBIN
RIBIN

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, a bit physically demanding in the first part. The boat graveyard is magnificent (in June + sunshine...).
Follow the directions carefully at the end.

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Morandd
Morandd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Most of this route is along the coastal path... with beautiful scenery and the boat graveyard is well worth a visit... it's impossible to get lost on the first part, but you'll need GPS for the return leg of the circular route.
I recommend it.

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Khaylissa
Khaylissa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

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randorob
randorob

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with stunning views of the Rance and near St Malo.
don't hesitate.

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GESRET
GESRET

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 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: the Troctin cove, with its beautiful colours.
I was familiar with a small part of this route, the ferryman's house and the wash house, but after that it was a whole new discovery and an unexpected encounter at a bend in the path (a deer).
A very beautiful walk, with a lot of walking at the beginning but still accessible.

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