Legends of the Coglais region

Park in front of the town hall.

(S/E) Turn left onto Rue de la Gare, then quickly take the path on the right to enter the "Jardin de l'Eau" (Water Garden). At the bottom of the stairs, cross the wooden footbridge on the right and join Rue de Saint-Étienne.
Walk along this street on the left for 50 metres, then turn left onto the southbound path. It runs alongside a stream to the wash house below on the right.
Turn left to follow the D105 road to the first crossroads. Turn right onto Rue des Maronniers.

(1) Turn right towards the hamlet of La Nouriais, which you cross before taking a path on the right before the last building.

(2) From here, there is a magnificent view of the Coglais. Continue along the path to the hamlet of Rocher Jacquot.

(3) Turn left and walk to the remains of the Rocher Jacquot covered walkway (400m round trip).

(3) Continue straight ahead. The path veers to the left and leads to a road. Take this road to the right for 50 metres to reach the Voie Verte.

(4) Turn left at the hairpin bend to follow the Voie Verte (former railway line). After 120m, take the path on the right.
After a right-hand bend and then another left-hand bend, it ends on the Route de la Béruchère. Turn left towards this hamlet.

(5) Go around the hamlet on the right, first following the fence on your right, then turning into a green lane on the left and left again to finally follow the path on the right to cross the river "La Minette".

(6) At the three-way junction, head left, cross La Minette again and continue north-east until you reach the road.

(7) You can make a sharp right turn to go to the Chapelle de la Poirière chapel and back (600 m round trip).

(7) Continue on the right. Cross the Renoulière farm and continue until you reach the D17 departmental road.
Turn right, then left after 50 metres. Continue straight ahead, crossing the Voie Verte. Continue north-east to reach the hamlet of Montillon. Leave it on your right.

(8) Turn left onto the path. At the road, turn left and after 100 metres, follow the road on the right towards Haut Val.

(9) Follow the path on the left, which veers to the right and joins the Route du Champ Blanc.
Take this road on the left; it veers right to reach La Volerie. After the first houses, take the hairpin bend to the right, then the path on the left, and follow it to the right.

(10) Pass by the Fontaine des Agonisants. Leave the^GR®34on your right and continue north-west until you reach the road. Cross and take the path opposite, then the path on the left that leads to the Tombeau des Pontavice.

(11) At the tomb, continue north-west. Then, at the fork, take the right-hand path towards the cave.
The path leads to the D19 departmental road. Follow Rue de la Grotte, turning left.
Turn right onto Rue de l'Église, then left onto Rue Principale to reach Place de la Mairie (S/E).

The Rocher-Jacquot dolmen: this Neolithic megalith is said to have originated from the construction of Mont Saint-Michel by the devil: his acolytes transported stones from the area, but once the work was completed, they left the surplus stones on site. At night, the dolmen is also visited by infernal beings, who can be heard dancing and singing, but without understanding what they are saying.

The Fountain of the Agonising: in 1593, the year Henri IV renounced Protestantism, the monks of Saint-Sauveur-des-Landes left their priory because of the Huguenot neighbourhood and found refuge in the woods. When they left their shelter to beg, two of them were stabbed by Protestants. One was killed instantly, but the other dragged himself to the fountain where he went every day to draw water for the community. He was rescued and survived his injuries; his cell and his bed carved into the rock can still be seen today. This episode gave rise to a pilgrimage to the fountain, now known as the Fountain of the Agonising.

Tomb of the Pontavices (former lords of Saint-Germain): above the tomb is a rock cut in half lengthwise: since 1873, the Marquis de Pontavice has been laid to rest there... on the unconsecrated ground he had chosen. During his lifetime, he liked to come here to read and smoke his pipe, accompanied by his dog, who, on the day of the civil funeral, led the procession to the rock. His servant, his dog and his cane are buried at the foot of his unusual coffin.