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Coming from Bordeaux via the Cap-Ferret road, after crossing the Lège stream, turn right at the roundabout towards Lège - Lacanau. After about 1 km, at the traffic lights, turn left and then immediately right onto Avenue des Chênes, then right onto Avenue du Canal, and park under the trees below the D106E5 ramp at the approach to the bridge crossing the canal.
(S/E) Take theGR® 8 path northwards, along the bank of the canal, which is a river at this point.
(1) After one kilometre, you will come to a road that crosses the canal via the Cassieux bridge. Cross it and continue along the path that runs between a complex of retirement homes and the canal.
(2) Continue northwards, sheltered by the maritime pines.
(3) After another kilometre, leave theGR®8, which branches off to the left. The path moves away from the canal slightly and leads to a sandy clearing where it crosses a track. Turn right to follow a double circular route of the river and arrive at a footbridge.
(4) Leave the footbridge on your right and continue along the same path heading north. For about 3.5 km, you will follow the winding river, which sometimes forms circular patterns that sink deeper to cross the sandy reliefs and sometimes carves out modest but wild-looking gorges.
(5) The sound of the river here tells us that it is crossing a threshold. Notice some remains of what appears to be an old bridge or aqueduct crossing it.
(6) About 400 m further on, pass along a beach that appears to be a canoe landing stage, then you will see the ruins of a small dam. Finally, you arrive at the road that runs from Lauros to La Jenny by the ocean and crosses the canal here at the Pas du Bouc bridge.
North of the bridge, you will see a lock that regulates the flow of the canal, which is better channelled to the north of it, and nearby is the Pas du Bouc Forest House.
Walk 350 m along the road towards the west and you will find the start of theGR®8 trailto the south.
(7) Take theGR® trail on the left, which is also the Way of St James, and after one kilometre, you will find the start of a path on the left.
(8) Take this path and you will soon find the path along the canal, which you should follow southwards. After 2.8 km, cross the footbridge again.
(4) Leave the route you have already taken and cross the footbridge. Then take the path on the right, on the left bank, which runs along the canal towards the south. This path remains close to the waterway and provides access to several pretty beaches. Follow it south until you reach a road.
(9) Cross this road and continue, still on the left bank, on a path that continues from the previous one, still along the water's edge, with access to several small beaches.
(10) The path ends at a very dense bamboo grove; rather than squeezing through the bamboo to try to reach the road, which you can see is nearby, take a path on the left that runs more or less alongside a ditch (estey), heading east, which quickly leads to a housing estate.
The path ends at a street; turn right, then follow it, turning left and then right, to reach a pedestrian crossing that leads to another street which opens onto Avenue de la Presqu'île. Turn right onto this street until you reach the Canal des Étangs.
(11) Cross the bridge, after which you will see the car park where you started on your right. Take the streets on the right in succession to return to the car park where you started (S/E).
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