The Priory of Brégain

Yellow markings, sometimes with a ‘P12’ sign.

Park near the church at La Boussac.

(S/E) Set off to the right along Rue du Mont Saint-Michel. Walk past the town hall and then the cemetery. Turn left onto Rue de la Croix Marie and continue along the path.
At the Vieux Presbytère, turn left and, at the Y-junction, turn right to reach Rue de la Gare.
Turn right and cross the level crossing.

(1) Turn right towards La Touche Perrier. Cross La Talonnière and turn left at the T-junction. Continue along the road, following the path. Join a road.

(2) Turn right and follow the road for barely 100 m before taking a path on the left. Once you reach La Moignerie, turn right and, at the wayside shrine, continue to the left.
Before the left-hand bend, follow the path to the right which, after a left-hand bend, runs alongside the railway line.

(3) Turn right to cross the level crossing and continue along the road. Before the houses, turn right onto the track and head for the D4 county road.

(4) Turn right and, when you reach the hamlet of Launay Belle-Fille, turn left to pass between the house and the shed. Head due south as far as La Côterais.
Follow the road for 30 m to the left and continue along the path to the right, still heading due south.

(5) Take great care when crossing the D155 and carry on straight ahead. Follow the road to the right. At the crossroads, carry on straight ahead; then, after 120 m, turn left onto the footpath and, when you reach the road, walk a few metres to the right.

(6) Take the path on the right towards the Tour de Brégain. At the road, continue to the left, pass the priory on your left and follow the road as it bends to the left. Continue along the road.

(7) At Lande Tusse, follow the path to the right. At the Fork in the road, continue to the right.

(8) Where the path meets another path, turn right and you’ll reach a road. Follow it to the left for 20 m, then turn right onto the road. After 150 m, turn left onto the path leading to La Ville Hue.

(9) Cross over and continue straight ahead. Turn right onto the track, which becomes a footpath. At the end of this, follow the road to the right.
Turn left onto the next road and head towards Épinay.

(10) Turn right, cross Le Mottay, then take the path on the right. Follow it as it bends to the left, ignoring the path that continues straight on. At the road, carry on almost straight ahead along the sunken path situated 20 m to the left.

(11) Follow the road to the right until you reach the Stop sign with a cross on your left. Cross the road and continue straight ahead along a grassy track. At the end of the track, turn left. At La Cocherais, take the sunken track almost directly opposite, situated 20 metres to the left, and continue straight on through the housing estate.

(12) Before reaching the departmental road, take the path on the right. At Rue de Fougères, continue to the left, walking along the pavements. Pass the school on your left, then continue to the right to return to the church car park (S/E).

The section between (6) and (7) is shared with another route,‘L’Étang de la Magentais’, which follows the same path in the opposite direction.

The route between (8) and (10) is shared, but in the opposite direction, with another walk featured on the website: ‘Between Woodland and Heritage in Broualan’.

La Boussac: Situated between Dol-de-Bretagne and Antrain, this small village set amongst hedgerows and open countryside has origins dating back to^{the 12th} century. It owed its development to the Benedictine monks who lived at the priory of Brégain and to the nobles residing at Landall Castle. However, the Act of 2 April 1887 divided the commune in two, creating the commune of Broualan, which now owns the château.

The Priory of Brégain: This is a former monastery, probably dating from^{the 11th} century, situated to the south-east of the commune of La Boussac. In 1122, it came under the jurisdiction of the Benedictine monks of Saint-Florent Abbey in Saumur. In the early^17th century, the Jesuits of the College of Rennes took possession of it at the instigation of Henry IV. Today, it is privately owned and not open to the public.