Arriving in Préfailles, follow the signs leading to the city centre. There are several car parks near the main beach and its chapel.
Walk along the beach to the right and follow the coastal path to Pointe St-Gildas where you will come across the semaphore, a viewpoint, and several bunkers from the last world war. Along this path your will see Bourgneuf Bay to the south.
At the Anse du Boucau turn left (1) on the trail and pass by the road that goes straight to Haut des Vignes.
Continue your journey along the coast to La Prée. The place provides beautiful view of the bay of the same name, as well as the Loire estuary, the city and the bridge of St-Nazaire.
From the car park (2) in front of the panoramic restaurant in the Bay de la Prée, follow the right Rue de l’Ilot right and then (3) the path of Prée still to the right. Continue straight along a grassy path to the intersection with the D213. (4) Cross and turn left.
At the end of this road, you will find the resort of Préfailles. Turn right on (5) Rue du Bois Roux, then left on (6) Rue Ste-Anne.
Take the second right (7) on Rue du Docteur Guépin, and reach Route de la Pointe Saint Gildas. Turn left. Once on the avenue you will reach the church and return to your vehicle.
Préfailles - Circuit around Pointe Saint-Gildas
An easy hike in the commune of Préfailles, to Pointe St-Gildas, which juts out in the waves.
Technical sheet
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 7.30 km -
Average duration: 2h 10 -
Difficulty: Easy -
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Return to departure point: Yes -
Vertical gain: + 21 m -
Vertical drop: - 17 m -
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Highest point: 25 m -
Lowest point: 3 m
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Country:
France
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District:
Préfailles (44770) -
Start/End: N 47.127927° / W 2.220767° -
IGN map(s): Ref. 1123OT -
Hour-by-hour weather
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : km 0 - alt. 8 m - Préfailles church car park
- 1 : km 3.12 - alt. 6 m - Pointe de Saint-Gildas
- 2 : km 4.69 - alt. 5 m - La Prée
- 3 : km 4.83 - alt. 6 m - Chemin de la Prée
- 4 : km 5.8 - alt. 17 m - D313
- 5 : km 6.26 - alt. 25 m - Rue Du Bois Roux
- 6 : km 6.61 - alt. 19 m - Rue Sainte-Anne
- 7 : km 6.75 - alt. 22 m - Rue du Docteur Guépin
- S/E : km 7.3 - alt. 8 m - Préfailles church car park
Practical information
Follow the yellow signs.
You can swim in several places at the small beaches interrupting the rocky coast.
In the nearby area
The semaphore overlooking Pointe St-Gildas dates back to the 19th century. It features a museum of local maritime history and coastal surveillance techniques.
Near Préfailles lies the cities of Pornic and Saint-Nazaire. The town of Préfailles has many attractions: a small seaside city, a unique perspective on the Bourgneuf Bay and the estuary of the Loire, very pleasant promenade paths, small beaches stringing along a rugged coastline. Many World War II bunkers were built in Pointe Saint-Gildas.
Reviews and comments
4.7 / 5
4.7 / 5
4.5 / 5
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No
Nice walk, done on a very windy and damp day at the start, so not many people, great for enjoying the magnificent scenery as you walk along the coast.
The inland return is only interesting if you don't want to make a round trip on the same route and also allows you to walk for an intermediate length of time: not too short, not too long. 
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very nice walk, most of which follows the coast.
parking on arrival, free at this time of year.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : Aug 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes
Very nice tour, very well informed!
A lot of people on the seafront as we did this walk at the height of the summer season...
Very pleasant indeed
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Dec 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
Easy and very well signposted route. A large part of the route is by the sea. Very pleasant.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes
This is a very beautiful tour with sublime scenery. Do it on your own or with friends, it's a ride you won't forget.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Apr 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
A very pleasant tour that fills the eyes and the lungs.
I was a bit worried about the return inland but the author has found a way to avoid asphalt as much as possible.
Thank you for this walk.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : Aug 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes
very pleasant walk by the sea. the bunker in the photo is now almost covered in grass
apart from the villas, there is little of interest in the narrow streets of Prefailles
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Apr 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
Great hike!
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Mar 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
very pleasant walk by the sea, a little less pleasant in the narrow streets of Prefailles
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : Jun 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No
A very pleasant route.
Crossing Préfailles requires you to follow the map if you are unfamiliar with the route.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : Dec 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
a good walk with no difficulty...
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : Aug 31, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : Jul 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
A very nice, easy walk in very good weather. Very nice route along the coast. The return to Préfailles was a little less pleasant. Same observations as the previous reviews.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : May 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
A lovely easy walk with a beautiful coastline.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Apr 19, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Easy and pleasant walk.
I agree with the previous comments, the hill section is superb.
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