The Bois de Pont-Sal and the Rochers du Cerf

A small car park can accommodate around ten vehicles at the entrance to the Bois de Pont Sal (Morbihan Departmental Nature Reserve). It is located at the entrance to the private road leading to Pont Sal Castle. The car park is muddy during the rainy season.

(S/E) Follow the well-signposted nature trail, starting point sign, map and description. Turn right to go round the castle grounds and reach a T-junction.

(1) Leave the return path on your left and keep to the right on the nature trail to reach another junction.

(2) Leave the discovery trail, continue straight ahead on a slight descent and rejoin the discovery trail. Take it to the left until you reach the hamlet of Treusal.

(3) Continue along the edge of the forest until you reach a hairpin bend where there is a bench.

(4) Follow the path to the left, reaching the left bank of the Ruisseau le Sal. Walk along this bank, reaching the dam and, a few steps further on, a wooden bridge over the Sal.

(5) Cross the bridge. Now take the yellow-marked path, continue through woodland and then pass through the small hamlet of Linderf.

(6) Cross the hamlet from east to west, continue through the hedgerows and cross the Ruisseau du Célenic to reach the edge of the Vannes-Auray-Quimper railway line at the Rochers du Cerf site, marked by a small information sign.

(7) Retrace your steps back to the wooden bridge.

(5) Turn right, follow the left bank of the Sal and then turn left near the D765. Stay in the woods to return to the initial crossroads you passed on the way out.

(1) Turn right to reach the Pont-Sal Protected Natural Area car park (S/E).

The walk is suitable all year round.
You’ll find signposts all along the route. It’s hard to get lost.
There are no public toilets or facilities to refill your water bottle. Make sure you’re well-equipped.
You can shorten the circular pattern at several points, particularly at points (2) and (5).

(1) To our knowledge, the castle is not open to visitors. It is more of a manor house.
(5) As well as enjoying a walk through these magnificent landscapes, it is worth learning about the history of the Pont Sal dam, built in 1960 and demolished in 2017 to restore the river’s natural course and biodiversity. It was an old water treatment plant that supplied drinking water to the west of Vannes.
See also