Roland’s Leap

Coming from Fougères, drive through Dompierre-du-Chemin and continue towards Prince until you reach the car park for the site on the right-hand side of the road.

(S/E) Leave the car park heading south-west towards the Rochers du Saut Roland.

Red and white markings for^{the GR®} 34

Shortly afterwards, you’ll come to the^GR® 34, which you should follow to the left as you descend the steps: take care not to slip in wet weather.

(1) Cross the Ruisseau de Saint-Blaise and turn right to climb up the other side.

(2) At the junction with another path, turn left, following the GR^®. The path widens and leads to a road. Follow it to the right until you reach a crossroads.

(3) Leave the^GR® briefly – it continues straight on – and take the^second road on the right, heading due north and running alongside a small wood. When you reach the Chaussée Neuve, do not take the road but follow the path on the right which runs alongside it and crosses the Ruisseau de Saint-Blaise.

(4) Join the^GR® on the right and follow it as it bends to the left. Stay on it until you reach a sharp left-hand bend.
There, leave the^GR® again temporarily to take the path on the right which runs alongside the pumping station, cross the D798 with care and take the dirt track opposite, slightly to the left.

(5) At the crossroads, rejoin the^GR® coming from the left. Continue straight on to the end of the track. Follow the small road to the left for 30 metres, then take the fork further on. Continue along this road.

(6) At the end of the field, take a sharp right-hand bend onto the dirt track on the right. It runs south-east and ends at a crossroads.

Yellow markings only

(7) At the crossroads, whilst the^GR® heads off to the left, turn right to cross the Champ des Vallées. Continue left along the downhill path, which veers twice to the right and then to the left before entering the hamlet of Les Vallées.

(8) Turn right to cross the hamlet and continue right along the uphill path. This leads onto the road, which you should follow to the left. Continue along this road to reach the D 798 departmental road.
Cross it carefully and head to the car park at the start of the route on the opposite side (S/E).

In wet weather, certain sections of the sunken path can prove problematic; these are the stretches between (4) and (5), then between (6) and (7), and finally the descent towards the valleys ((8)).

Le Saut Roland: the name derives from a legend dating back to time immemorial.

Roland, Charlemagne’s nephew, was prefect of the Marches of Brittany. After fighting against the Saracens, he crossed the Pyrenees via the Brèche de Roland to return to Brittany and defend the Empire against the indomitable Bretons (the English). He attempted to cross this site by leaping with his horse from one rock to another. The first leap was dedicated to God, the second to the Virgin Mary and the third to his lady. Unfortunately, this final leap proved fatal and he and his horse plummeted to the bottom of the ravine.

The entire route is signposted in yellow. However, be sure to follow the route description carefully, as the^GR® markings (red and white) are often present without any additional yellow markings.

At (2), there is the option of a^first shortcut to avoid the circular route: turn right and join the road.

At (4), there is a^second possible shortcut: continue straight ahead up the path and, at the junction, turn left onto the path you took in the opposite direction at the start.

At (5), there is a^third possible shortcut: continue straight ahead along the path and, when you reach the road, turn right.

Finally, you can avoid the valleys by continuing straight on along the road.