Malestroit walks

An easy hike that can be enjoyed with the whole family. Departure from Malestroit, a pretty little town with half-timbered houses. The first half of the route is flat, following the towpath along the Nantes-Brest stream. The second part takes you through the countryside: fields, woods, chapels, calvaries and picturesque hamlets, following theGR®347.

The moors of Pinieux offered the resistance fighters of the Maquis de la Nouette a fragile shelter during dark times. This wooded area occupies a hilltop between the Claie and Oust valleys and offers some views of eastern Morbihan. And a gem nestles in the hollow of one of the valleys: the Kerfontaine bog. Please note: crossing the bog requires off-track walking.

The Oust Valley is designated a “Grand Site National”, and cycling through it is a great way to explore it. The Malestroit region offers several ways to explore it, whether by following the Nantes-Brest Canal along the towpath, or by crossing the countryside along the Voie Verte, a cycle path built on the former Questembert-Mauron railway line.

A route that takes you past several crosses located within the town. It also takes you close to the Nantes–Brest Canal, which is always a pleasant walk in fine weather.

Set amidst moors and woods, Rochefort-en-Terre, perched on a rocky outcrop, is one of the most beautiful villages in France. With its cobbled streets and stylish shop signs, the town is a little gem nestled in the heart of Morbihan. Starting from this village, enjoy a lovely walk along the ridges and through the old slate quarries of Pluherlin.The route is very varied, taking in moorland, woodland and ridges.Passing through the villages of Rochefort-en-Terre and Pluherlin.

Rochefort-en-Terre is built on a rocky outcrop partly surrounded by the Ruisseau de Saint-Gentien. It is hard to believe that this slender stream is the source of the gorge that opens up to the north of the town, yet it is indeed this stream that feeds the beautiful Étang du Moulin Neuf. The shores of this lake, along with the rocky ridges overlooking the Arz valley, provide a beautiful setting for this medieval gem. And strolling around, discovering the hidden corners of this famous place, offers a very different experience from that of the many visitors who are content to simply walk up and down the main street.

This hike is circular, taking forest paths and roads on the return journey, via the Circuit des Ardoisières, the Circuit des Pins, and passing through the village of Malansac.

Discover Augan and its surroundings! Nestled between forests and farmland, this route will allow you to discover part of the town’s rich heritage: chapels, mills, wash houses, as well as a Neolithic burial monument, the Coudraie covered walkway.

The Arz valley lies at the bottom of one of the geological folds of the South-Armorican Fold System. Dominated by the Landes de Lanvaux to the north and the plateau overlooking the Gulf of Morbihan to the south, it features a beautiful hollow relief that will delight rollercoaster enthusiasts. The gradients are far from negligible, and whilst the terrain isn’t particularly high, the route’s profile alternates between gentle slopes where you can coast along and challenging, leg-breaking climbs. And all this amidst beautiful, wooded countryside dotted with lively towns and villages.

Set off to explore the dry and wet moors, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. You will then come across several Neolithic burial monuments (La Loge Morinais, the Bordouès Covered Walkway). A little further on is the Pierres Droites megalithic site, one of the most important archaeological sites in central Brittany. It has 420 menhirs, around forty of which have been re-erected in their original location.

Come and discover a remarkable megalithic site in the Landes de Monteneuf: a collection of standing stones, covered walkways and isolated menhirs. Although less spectacular than Carnac, it is nonetheless very interesting due to the presence of a site currently undergoing renovation, where regional archaeologists have recreated both the dwellings of the period and the methods used to raise the stones.

This walk around the pond is very easy: the total elevation gain is less than 25 m. Whilst the start may be a bit monotonous with its 4.2 kilometres along a developed greenway, the return journey is thoroughly enjoyable via theGR®®37, which runs alongside the pond and offers magnificent views in several places, with flocks of marsh birds.

Set in the heart of the countryside, this route takes you along a number of easily accessible dirt tracks, small roads and a few grassy paths and sunken lanes on either side of the RN24.

A route offering beautiful green landscapes, partly near the Nantes–Brest Canal, which you follow along the GR® 37. Old chapels, churches and crosses also dot this route, which will undoubtedly give you a real change of scenery.

The landscape around Questembert is characterised by wooded, steep-sided valleys through which pretty streams flow. For a long time, these streams powered a multitude of mills, which you can discover along the route, between two breaks in the rich countryside criss-crossed by beautiful tree-lined paths. As for the popinettes, perhaps we passed them without knowing what they were!

La Vraie-Croix comes from the Breton "Lan Groez" (cross of the moor). A lovely walk that allows you to discover the countryside around the very pretty village of La Vraie-Croix.

Dominated by the tall silhouette of the Château de Josselin, the River Oust is one of the sections of the Nantes-Brest Canal. This walk follows the shaded course of the river and leads to the charming Chapelle Saint-Gobrien.

Take a stroll to discover what makes Josselin such a historic place. As you wander through the town's narrow cobbled streets, you can admire the many half-timbered houses, the oldest dating back to 1538, the churches and the castle (entrance fee). A very pleasant walk.