The Gannedel and Massérac Marshes

The Church of Sainte-Marie and its tall bell tower, which will be a visible landmark for much of the route, marks the start of this outing.

(S/E) Head south along Rue de la Vilaine towards Avessac. The road descends gently for several kilometres before reaching the riverbank.

(1) If the flood barrier is open (which is usually the case), follow the path running along the north bank until you reach the Pont de Painfaut (or Penfao). Turn right to cross to the other bank and head back up the road towards Avessac.

(2) Just before you reach the railway line (level crossing), take the small road branching off to the left. This road more or less follows the tracks as far as Beslé-sur-Vilaine, hopping over the trains as you go.
After passing through La Haie des Rivières, the road reaches the marshes once more. A jump over the railway line allows it to follow the edge of the dry land.

(3) Before reaching La Fitière, go round the village on the left. Cross a stream, then head up the opposite slope. Halfway up the slope, turn left towards Bas-Roland and continue until you rejoin the SNCF railway line. Follow it for 200 metres, then turn right at the Murin bridge. Pass a farm and join the RD46. Turn left to head back up towards Massérac.

(4) The bridge spanning the Don is overlooked by the Rocher du Veau. This vantage point offers an excellent view of the confluence of the two rivers, as well as the rather secluded Lake Murin, which occupies a large part of the area. A footpath leads from the car park near the bridge and provides quick access to the lake.
Get back on your bike and cycle up the opposite slope until you’ve passed Roland, then take the road branching off to the left immediately after the last house in the hamlet. This leads to the village of Paimbu, just behind the railway line.

(5) At the crossroads in the centre of the village, turn left onto the small track leading to Bas-Paimbu. This track runs alongside the Lac de Murin area, though the woodland makes it difficult to see. After Bas-Paimbu, an unpaved path takes you to the road to the Oratoire de St-Benoit. This magnificent wayside shrine stands in the middle of nowhere, on the edge of the marshes.
At the next crossroads, turn left, crossing the bridge over the Ruisseau de Renier. You will then enter an area of marshy meadows, criss-crossed by numerous old branches of the Vilaine, which stretches for several kilometres.

(6) Cross the railway line again near Ville Guy, then take the first road on the left towards Le Petit Marais. Shortly afterwards, you’ll rejoin the RD46. Turn left and follow this road until you reach Beslé-sur-Vilaine. At the bottom of the old village, leave the main road and turn right into Rue Sainte-Marie.

(7) The village of Beslé features a few houses with interesting architecture, including an example of a house with a gallery, which the route passes in front of as you take Rue de la Corne du Cerf. This street leads to the bridge over the Vilaine, which you should cross.

(8) Turn left after the bridge to reach the towpath. Although it is unpaved, it is perfectly passable, even if you have to share it with pedestrians. Follow it as far as Brain-sur-Vilaine. Halfway along, an old branch of the Vilaine, the Bras du Cerné – which you passed earlier – opens out on the left bank.

(9) When you reach a large building with blue shutters (the former holiday home of the Abbé de Redon), take the path that leads up to the right towards the village. Walk past the church and its distinctive bell tower and, turning left, head up the entire length of the Grande Rue de Brain. This street has an urban feel, which is unexpected in such a small village. Several shops, including a very charming café-tobacconist-grocery shop, bring this street to life.

(10) On leaving the village towards Redon, take the scenic route which winds its way through the villages above the river meadows. Several small roads lead back down to the river and the towpath, which you can follow to rejoin the route described.

(11) At Rangoulas, at the foot of the hamlet of La Chapelle-de-Brain, head straight on towards Gannedel and continue to the end of the road. A shelter with an information board helps you better understand the nature and significance of the site, which stretches out directly in front of you over 500 hectares.

(12) At the little cottage, turn right onto the small track that winds its way up alongside the marsh. It continues until it rejoins the road from La Chapelle-de-Brain to Renac. Turn left and follow this road with care until you reach the Redon–Rennes road, near Renac. Before you get there, look out for the old building on the left with its gallery and arched doors.

(13) Cross the road at the roundabout with the utmost care and join the old route of the A-road on the other side of the bridge. Then turn left onto the track running parallel to the A-road until you reach the bridge, which you cross to reach Sainte-Marie, heading south.

(14) At La Couplais, take the road branching off to the left towards La Grée Savigne. This road follows the top of the hillside overlooking the Canut valley and offers a panoramic view of this historic part of the Vilaine valley, with the Gannedel marsh in the background. It links several hamlets before rejoining the main road. Turn left; the bell tower of St Mary’s Church is not far away (A/D).

This route should only be undertaken when water levels in the Vilaine are sufficiently low, as several of the roads used may be more or less covered by water during periods of marsh flooding. Mobile barriers control access to these areas.

Refreshments are available in Sainte-Marie, Beslé-sur-Vilaine, Brain and La Chapelle-de-Brain.

(5) In wet weather, the stretch after Bas-Paimbu can be difficult. In this case, turn right at the Paimbu crossroads and follow the road to the Oratory of St Benoît.

Work is currently underway on the final section of the dual carriageway upgrade on the Redon–Rennes road, and crossing this roundabout – where traffic can be very heavy – should soon be a thing of the past.

This route follows part of a signposted trail, which I would advise you not to follow if you wish to complete the circular route.
Another route of around thirty kilometres allows you to extend your exploration of the Vilaine Valley, between Beslé-sur-Vilaine and the Corbinières site, further upstream.

Between the (1) and the Painfaut bridge, the path has been built on the embankment made from the spoil excavated during the construction of the canal, which cuts across the Renac backwater, the former course of the Vilaine. You cross it just after reaching the marsh. The river returns to its original course shortly before the village of Lézin (outside the route). The Gannedel Marsh, a remnant of this former course, is an area of great ecological richness (see (12))

The Gannedel Marsh can be explored by following an interpretive trail, which starts at point 12.