The Roz Ponds

To the north-east of Pontivy, the Nantes–Brest Canal, on the River Douric, is fed by a series of ‘ponds’ which are in fact man-made basins designed to maintain a stable water level during lock operations.
This route takes you past this succession of locks and ‘ponds’, passing by the Chapelle du Roz.
A short, peaceful and tranquil walk along the water’s edge.

Details

n°389216

Creation:
19 Oct 2016

Last update:
12 May 2025

Last review:
18 May 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 2.32 mi
Average duration: 1h 10
Difficulty: Easy
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 112 ft
Descent: - 112 ft
Highest point: 371 ft
Lowest point: 256 ft

Country: France
City: Saint-Gérand (56920)
Start/End: N 48.106567° / W 2.921265°
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Photos

Description of the walk

Access: From Pontivy, follow the D768A towards Saint-Gérand for about 5km.
At the Pont Saint-Caradec Business Park, which can be spotted by the Sanders factory tower, take the D32 towards Pont Saint-Caradec and park on the left after the bridge.

(S/E) Cross the bridge again and head down to the right onto the towpath.

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Follow this path, passing the Joli Cœur lock keeper’s house, and continue. The path runs alongside eight ponds, reservoirs built to supply the ten or so locks that line this route. Reach the third lock keeper’s house.

No signposting

(1) Leave the canal bank and take the wide path on the left between the fields. A little further up, you can see the bell tower of the Chapelle du Roz. Head towards it.

(2) Turn right and follow the small road down to the canal.

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(3) Turn right to follow the canal bank again as it bends to the right.

(1) Retrace your steps along the path you took on the way there. Look out for an old bread oven next to the second lock-keeper’s house you come to. Climb up to the bridge and cross it to return to the car park on the left (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 367 ft - Pont Saint-Caradec car park
1 : mi 0.83 - alt. 285 ft - Fork in the path
2 : mi 1.02 - alt. 292 ft - Chapelle du Roz
3 : mi 1.15 - alt. 262 ft - Junction with the canal
S/E : mi 2.32 - alt. 367 ft - Pont Saint-Caradec car park

Notes

This route is suitable for flat shoes.

Worth a visit

The Nantes–Brest Canal was created by linking eight streams. To enable boats to navigate down the slope, a number of locks were built: 29 locks from Pontivy to Hilvern, 12 of which are concentrated at the Étangs du Roz. The basins known as ‘étangs’ are in fact water reservoirs, acting as buffer zones to keep the water level stable during lock operations.
Sometimes they are only a few dozen metres apart, as at the Étangs du Roz, where these structures form a spectacular cascade-like alignment.

Notre-Dame-de-Délivrance Chapel at Le Roz: The chapel is in the Neoclassical style and rectangular in shape, with a semi-circular chancel slightly narrower than the nave and a bell tower with a balustrade. It is dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Délivrance and is thought to date from 1851, having been built by the deeply devout Le Berre family. It was customary to light a candle in the chapel when a person was on their deathbed, to ‘deliver’ them from their suffering, either through death or through healing.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5

Ease of following the route
5 / 5

Route interest
4 / 5

Arzaela

18 May 2026 at 14:54 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Set entirely in the countryside, with two fishermen, 12 locks and 9 ponds along what is, all in all, a fairly short walk. Very peaceful.

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Claude-Meignen

18 May 2023 at 10:43 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A short, peaceful, uneventful but pleasant walk – perfect for a bit of a rest! The detour to the chapel isn’t particularly interesting!

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Pascal C56

26 Mar 2023 at 18:58 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The lock buffer basins are well worth a visit! We started this walk at the designated point by the Saint Caradec bridge, heading down towards Pontivy as far as the Lann Hoaren lock, before turning back via the Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Délivrance and continuing on to the Keroret lock (picnic tables and toilets) to explore the Coëdic buffer basins, completing a 14.5 km route that everyone can adapt to suit their own preferences.
Interesting for the buffer basins, the locks and the towpath. Impossible to get lost – it’s a towpath. And you avoid the mud whatever the weather conditions.

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ninou56

13 Aug 2019 at 09:45 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A short walk that we combined with the route suggested by the Community of Communes, setting off from the car park in St Gerand. This route takes us to the Carantec Bridge, the starting point of the Visorando trail. A circular walk lasting a total of two and a half hours, which is very pleasant along the canal and its ponds.

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