The Chemin de l'Écureuil in Piré-sur-Seiche

After walking along small asphalt country roads, it is a pleasure to find yourself on these green paths surrounded by magnificent trees, first along the Seiche and then the Quincampoix.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.16 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 28 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 28 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 66 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 31 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) To avoid the road, it is advisable to start from the car park and exit through the height restriction gate. Take the pedestrian crossing and follow the straight path opposite.

(1) See note below in the practical information section.
Turn right. Cross a first footbridge, then a second one on the right. Head north up Ruelle Saint-Denis. When you reach Place de l'Église, turn left into Rue d'Anjou and follow it to the end.

(2) Continue left onto Rue de Janzé. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and follow the pavement on the right, then, just before the town exit sign, take the footpath that runs alongside the road. This path (not shown on IGN maps) turns right to run alongside a farm machinery warehouse and ends at the departmental road.

(3) Follow the D 37 on the left. After the bus stop, turn left towards La Visseule. Continue along this road and turn left at the crossroads. Walk along the model aircraft field on your left.

(4) At the Y-junction, continue to the right. The road veers left to run alongside greenhouses on the right and ends at a stop sign on the D 777 departmental road to Janzé. Cross carefully and continue opposite, still alongside the greenhouses on the left. Cross the hamlet of Melon.

(5) You can make a round trip to the right to the Moulin de la Franceule. Otherwise, continue straight ahead along the Seiche. At the fork, ignore the access to the houses and turn right. A little further on, continue on the right to cross the Quincampoix. Continue along this path.

(6) Turn left onto a gravel path. At the road, turn right and, just after the bridge, follow the barely visible path in the meadow on the left. Go through a wooden chicane before turning right between two fields (private property) and reaching a road.

(7) Turn left and you will reach Vaumarion. The road bends to the right. Before the bridge, at the wooden barrier, take the path on the right.

(8) After 200 m, you will reach a crossroads with a post bearing three yellow routes (routes 9, 10 and 11). Turn left to follow the Quincampoix. Walk to the crossroads on the way out.

(1) Turn right to rejoin the road and the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 38 m - Sports hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.32 - alt. 36 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 1.01 - alt. 47 m - Departmental road (D 777) on the left
  4. 3 : km 1.61 - alt. 50 m - Secondary departmental road (D 37) on the left
  5. 4 : km 4.56 - alt. 62 m - Y-junction - right
  6. 5 : km 6.33 - alt. 34 m - Straight ahead or return to the mill on the right. - Seiche (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 7.74 - alt. 34 m - Gravel path on the left
  8. 7 : km 8.57 - alt. 38 m - Secondary departmental road on the left
  9. 8 : km 9.37 - alt. 37 m - Crossroads - left - Quincampoix (rivière)
  10. S/E : km 11.16 - alt. 38 m - Sports hall car park

Notes

Note: at (1), a signpost marks routes 9 and 11 (routes listed by the Communauté de Communes du Pays de Châteaugiron) indicating to turn left. For route No. 9, it is preferable to turn right to start with the less green part and finish with the very pleasant paths that run alongside the rivers. Yellow markings are present throughout in both directions.

Worth a visit

The Château des Pères: today it is a restaurant, but it all began in the 12th century. To learn more about its history:
https://www.chateaudesperes.fr/le-domain...

Château de la Franceule: now a guest house for three people, it was built in 1905 following a fire that completely destroyed the 16th-century manor house.

The Church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul: built in the 16th century. The octagonal bell tower dates from 1769 and the 58-metre neo-Gothic spire was completed in 1875.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.4 / 5
David_Maegh
David_Maegh

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

DO NOT TAKE THIS ROUTE

The first third is almost entirely on roads, then takes paths that cross private property. This must not have gone down well with some landowners, who have put up signs and ropes in an attempt to prevent people from crossing (even though it is the official route)...

Worse still at point 6, the wooden signs have been turned round, as on the back you can see the message indicating that you are crossing private property... and the farmer has even put his cows across the path! As a result, we were forced to return to Piré via the road and the main road.

AVOID

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legaud eric
legaud eric

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Namely, from the bitumen to No. 5, after which it's nicer.
At Franceule, where the river crosses, there is a risk of flooding and you have to cross private land towards No. 6, which may force you to take a detour if the farmer has his animals in the field (bull).
Otherwise, the nice thing is that we can extend the route by going around the Château des Pères.

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Bressan44
Bressan44

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for the description of this route. I did it in mid-May 2024 after a very rainy winter and spring (about 550 mm of rain since 1 January). The Seiche was still flooded and some parts of the route were still under water and impassable. In addition, a large poplar tree had fallen across the part of the route that follows the Seiche's tributary, the Quincampoix. This obstacle is difficult to get past.

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iojcg
iojcg

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

All in all, this is a pleasant hike to do in good weather. It comprises two distinct areas:
one , mainly from point 2 to point 4, consists of tarmac roads in a gently undulating landscape with scattered dwellings, fields of cereals and apple trees, and endless horizons. It is a kind of fitness trail (maintenance), suitable for all ages, for solo hikers (low traffic but open to large vehicles)
The other route seems more traditional, often on small dirt tracks, crossing private property, along streams.

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pixor
pixor

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Most of the route is paved. There is a short stretch between the Château des Pères and the Franceul mill, and the rest of the route follows roads that are not very busy.

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domivasseur2935
domivasseur2935

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The hike is superb (lots of water, beautiful scenery, trees, wildlife...) from point 5 to the finish. Before that, it is more ordinary, more paved and not particularly interesting.
Very well marked.
Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
We had to cross the field at point 8. The path was flooded.

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faguisol
faguisol

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There is a lot of driving in the first part, but the route is still enjoyable.
The signage is not very clear when you start (which is recommended) from the village and then the road.
Be careful during very wet periods along the Seiche.

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Simon L
Simon L

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

An interesting route for approaching the Parc du Château des Pères, but not very interesting outside of it, mainly due to the tarmac roads. The advantage is that you won't encounter many people (outside of the park).

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Dominique38
Dominique38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a very pretty parish-specific to Brittany walk, starting on tiny deserted roads and then continuing through nature. The route has some lovely surprises in store, including pretty old houses and beautiful views along the river. No difficulty. Completed in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

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guy35
guy35

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. We had a picnic at the junction of La Seiche and La Quincampoix. We took the opportunity to visit the castle grounds, which are open to the public and feature magnificent sculptures.

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