The Morinais route

Several quarries dot this route. Whether they are still in operation, such as the Morinais quarry, or partly overgrown with vegetation, they all seem to still echo with the hammering sounds of decades past.
The granite quarried here was used for roadworks, by funeral firms, and also in local architecture. The mysterious beauty of the Morinaye manor house and the typical rural houses in the villages you will pass through bear witness to this.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.25 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 308 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 305 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 643 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 436 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

The route is fully signposted in white, as indicated by the sign at the corner of the pedestrian walkway and Rue Lariboisière.

Park at Place Bochin, behind the town hall.

(S/E) Walk around the town hall to the west and cross Rue Lariboisière (D 177) with care. Take the pedestrian path opposite and turn right into thesecond street: Rue de Bretagne. After 30 m, continue left into Rue d’Alsace.

(1) Follow a path on the right that passes in front of a 19th-century house. Cross the courtyard and first turn right then left to reach the street. Continue left into Rue de la Libération, then after
30 m, turn right onto Rue de la Grange.
Turn left onto Boulevard Clémenceau and follow it until it meets Rue Émile Deshauyes. Join the Voie verte on the right.

(2) Turn left onto the Voie Verte. Continue to the junction with Chemin de la Lande. Turn right onto Route de la Choterie: a bend to the left, a bend to the right, and it heads due north.

(3) Before the hamlet of La Choterie, take the path on the right.
Note: large granite boulders in the meadows.
Continue along the path to reach La Juguenais. In the hamlet, carry on straight ahead, taking a path that crosses the River Goulfait and climbs up to Rocher-Boudet.
Former Chouan stronghold and granite cross dating from 1664

(4) At the end of the access road, turn right for 200 m then left towards La Morinais (see note in “During the walk”).
Just before the entrance to the quarry, climb the embankment on the left and reach the Morinais manor house, then continue left to pass Les Masures.

(5) At the road, turn right then take the first path on the left. Take the grassy path on the left leading to Mézeray (see note). There, turn left.
At the crossroads, turn right and continue to Les Naudais.

(6) At the start of the hamlet, turn right onto a dirt track. At the T-junction, continue to the right. Cross a wood. Follow the path as it bends to the left, then after just over 100 m turn right towards La Suzenais. Cross the hamlet and continue to the main road.

(7) Follow the D109 to the right for about 100 metres, then take the path on the right. At the first houses in La Ribaudière, turn left and cross the hamlet.
At the road, first turn left then right for 20 m at the cross. Ignore the turn-off to a farm on the right and continue straight on.

(8) At a left-hand bend, continue straight on. Pass La Houssais and Le Bois Arcant and join the D109.
Turn left, then take the first right towards Loriais.

(9) Follow the Greenway to the right for about 1.5 km. It crosses over the D109 road where, on the left, you can see the town entrance sign. Continue for a few dozen metres.

(10) Take the steps on the left. Follow Rue du Floret to the right. At the end, turn right onto Rue de Saint-Brice and continue to the left.
Turn right into Rue Michel. Halfway along, turn left then right to pass in front of the church.

(11) Cross Place du Général de Gaulle with care and continue almost directly opposite to the left along Rue du Maréchal Leclerc to return to the car park at Place Bochin (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 561 ft - Place Bochin
  2. 1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 541 ft - Turn right
  3. 2 : mi 0.61 - alt. 535 ft - Greenway – on the left
  4. 3 : mi 1.27 - alt. 545 ft - La Choterie – path on the right
  5. 4 : mi 2.19 - alt. 479 ft - The Rocher Boudet – straight ahead
  6. 5 : mi 2.94 - alt. 541 ft - Les Masures – turn right
  7. 6 : mi 4.08 - alt. 443 ft - Les Naudais – dirt track on the right
  8. 7 : mi 5.17 - alt. 476 ft - D 109 – turn right
  9. 8 : mi 5.89 - alt. 607 ft - Extension of the trail
  10. 9 : mi 6.84 - alt. 561 ft - Greenway – on the right
  11. 10 : mi 7.74 - alt. 548 ft - Stairs on the left
  12. 11 : mi 8.16 - alt. 577 ft - Place du Prieuré – Opposite on the left
  13. S/E : mi 8.25 - alt. 561 ft - Place Bochin

Notes

Louvigné-du-Désert is one of the main granite quarries in Ille-et-Vilaine. In fact, the town is famous for one of its granite companies: L’Avenir, and above all for one of its directors: Jean Patin, who initiated the “Le ruban granitier breton” cycle race, which will promote Breton granite internationally.
He was also the founder of the National Union of Granite Quarrymen and the European Federation of the Granite Industry.

Worth a visit

La Morinais: These are the quarries that the L’Avenir Cooperative used to operate. The manor house dates from the 17th century.

Le Mézeray: Admire the architectural features: semi-circular doors, a window topped by a ogee arch.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

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

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The signposting is even more precise than on the GR trails – that says it all!!
As a result, there’s no need for a GPS, which means you ‘miss out’ on two or three tourist attractions.

Hedgerows, footpaths, woodland, roads with very little traffic but roads nonetheless. In short, absolutely nothing monotonous about this very enjoyable hike.

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Castorvirulent
Castorvirulent

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through small valleys and granite boulders. The Louvigné bocage is well worth a visit.

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Domi2935
Domi2935

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very varied walk taking you along sunken paths, past isolated farms, over gently rolling hills, with part of the route in Louvigné, taking in a granite quarry, a manor house, old buildings and a greenway. VERY, VERY well signposted: we didn’t even need to consult the map we had with us. Which is very, very much appreciated!

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