La Roche-Bernard bridge loop

_ Start _: Park at Parking des Garennes.

(S/E) Turn right onto the road alongside the car park.

(1) At the first crossroads, turn right onto chemin des Garennes, then quickly left, climbing the embankment of the road above. Cross the road to take the path which climbs the hillside to the left, until it joins the road which passes under the cable-stayed bridge (white pylons and green deck).

(2) 200m after passing under the bridge, take the path behind the metal guardrail, which descends to the left under the trees. Leave the house on your left, and climb up to the small road that serves it, then turn right towards Ville Izac. This beautiful balcony path over the Vilaine links the village.

At the road, turn left down a steep path to the bottom of the valley, then climb gently to the right until you find another path. Ignore the paths that go up to the left through the woods.

(3) At the track, turn left towards Moulin de Bourigan, a typical Breton mill with a small foot (its base is narrower than the upper body where the millstones were located). At the next crossroads, turn left again to reach the Morbihan bridge.

(4) Descend the staircase to the foot of the bridge access ramp. The bridge's designers had the good idea (did a hiker give it to them?) of using the concrete arch supporting the roadway to build a staircase that provides an unusual and fairly silent way of crossing the river, just below the freeway. You'll need to adapt your pace to the variable length of the steps, but there's nothing to stop you taking your time to make the crossing. At the end of the ramp, keep left and follow the path on the north bank. It alternates between ascents and descents in a landscape of moorland and rock, just above the river.

Before passing under the cable-stayed bridge, leave on your left the North abutment of the first bridges, which, together with the one opposite, are the only traces of the three previous structures. After passing under the cable-stayed bridge again, continue to the next valley.

(5) Turn right to climb back up to the northern entrance to the cable-stayed bridge, which you cross with a view of the Roche-Bernard rock and the harbour at its foot.
As you leave the bridge, immediately turn right down a staircase and then a rocky (and sometimes slippery) path that leads back to the road under the bridge. Turn left along the same route as before, until you reach the shipyard.

(1) At Chemin des Garennes, take the avenue lined with tall chestnut trees that leads to the washhouse. This is a bucolic spot in the heart of La Roche-Bernard, like all the gardens that once occupied the Coulée Laurent.
Cross this area along the beautiful paths that have been laid out until you reach the Garennes car park (S/E).

_ Start _: Park at Parking des Garennes.

Facilities : La Roche-Bernard is a "little town of character" well worth a visit. Its old quarters, its port, its craftsmen and its many places to eat will keep you coming back for more. It's also a dynamic little town where you'll find all the services and shops you need.

The Musée de la Roche-Bernard (Château des Basses Fosses, in the old quarter) will show you the origins of the seaport and all the traffic and activities that took place there. The museum also tells the story of how the river was crossed, taking you back to the bridges you crossed on your walk.