Sains walks

A short, peaceful walk starting from Sains. The route passes through wooded areas, including a charming section at the start. There are usually many water birds at the Étang du Pas Gérault, especially in autumn.

A short, peaceful walk starting from Sains. The route passes through wooded areas, including a charming section at the start. There are usually many water birds at the Pas Gérault pond, especially in autumn. This walk takes you along the Oak Trail, with its many remarkable trees, including the Oak of Liberty.

From Étang du Pas Gérault, take the paths and trails on the plateau, then on the Claye plain. The trail takes you through the somewhat wild Guyoult before following a circular route back to the plain and the lake. This area is rich in wildlife, with numerous egrets and cattle egrets, and sometimes grey herons. Game is often seen here, but it is very shy.

Roz-sur-Couesnon consists, as its name suggests, of an upper part (roz = hill in Breton) where the village is located, and a lower part made up of former marshes, polders and salt marshes, where the Couesnon river once flowed. This unique feature gives the town an exceptional view of the bay and Mont Saint-Michel, as well as a wide variety of landscapes, which the route proposed here seeks to highlight.

This route allows you to discover a whole range of small architectural heritage sites: guardhouses, typical houses, a wash house and a church. But of course, as everywhere else in the area, the star attraction is Mont-Saint-Michel, which visitors can see in the background throughout their journey.

This walk takes you along the Couesnon between the dam and Anse de Moidrey, where you can see the polders on the Brittany side and the abundant wildlife, especially birds.A little history: formerly known as Lerra Fluvius, the Couesnon river rises in the commune of Saint-Pierre-des-Landes in Mayenne, at the Fontaine de Couesnette, 200 metres above sea level. The Couesnon was canalised in 1867, allowing boats to travel up the river to the port of Pontorson. The first dam, built in 1969, was designed to stop the tide from rising in the riverbed, which caused flooding when the tidal coefficients were high. It was demolished in 2008 and replaced by the Couesnon Dam as part of the operation to restore the maritime character of Mont-Saint-Michel. Please note that the footbridge at the car park is closed until 31/06/2026 due to construction work (see alternative in practical information).

Throughout this route, there are superb views of Mont-Saint-Michel and the polders.But you will discover no less than three different landscapes: the ecologically rich site of the two valleys, the market gardening area of the polders and the infinite space of the salt marshes.

The Villecartier National Forest is known for its leisure centre, miniature harbour and hiking trails. The forest, formerly royal, covers an area of 1,000 hectares. It is dotted with monuments of varying ages that bear witness to human activity throughout its history. The proposed route allows you to discover some of them, and with a little luck, the four-legged animals that inhabit it. To do so, you must be relatively quiet.

The Villecartier National Forest is known for its leisure centre, miniature harbour and hiking trails. The forest, formerly royal, covers an area of 1,000 hectares. It is dotted with monuments of varying ages that bear witness to human activity throughout its history. The proposed route allows you to discover some of these monuments and, with a little luck, the four-legged animals that inhabit the forest. To do so, you need to be relatively quiet and have a little luck.

The Villecartier National Forest is known for its leisure centre, miniature harbour and hiking trails. The forest, formerly royal, covers an area of 1,000 hectares. It is dotted with monuments of varying ages that bear witness to human activity throughout its history. The proposed route allows you to discover some of them, and with a little luck, the four-legged animals that inhabit it; to do so, you must be relatively quiet.

This hike follows the path along the dyke between the Sainte-Anne Chapel and the Bertrand Polder and, on the way back, takes the Greenway linking Mont Saint-Michel to Cancale and continuing on to Saint-Malo and beyond. Beautiful view of the bay when the weather is good, which is often the case!

Trail, half on dirt track, half on road. Beautiful sights with the Saint-Macaire (or Maker) Fountain on one side and the megalithic rock site (also known as the "Field of Tombs") on the other. Part of the trail runs along the Canal de la Banche, which joins Dol de Bretagne at Quercourt.

This hike follows the path along the dyke between Chapelle Sainte-Anne and Polder du Nouveau Conseil and, on the way back, takes the Greenway linking Mont Saint-Michel to Cancale and continuing on to Saint-Malo and beyond. Beautiful view of the bay when the weather is good, which is often the case!

This is an easy route through the Marais Blanc and along the Canal de la Banche and the Banche itself. It allows you to discover a few old farms scattered throughout the marsh.

A peaceful hike along grassy paths and a few quiet roads. You will follow part of the Chemin des Évêques, which was used by bishops to reach their summer residence. The nearby Château du Domaine des Ormes was once (in the early 14th century) the summer residence of the bishops of Dol-de-Bretagne. Today, it is a campsite. The paths are shaded. If you walk them in autumn, you can collect lots of chestnuts.

Dol-de-Bretagne is a small town full of character offering numerous hiking opportunities, the most popular being the Marais Blanc and Marais Noir trails. The route suggested here follows part of the Nominöe route, but differs in that it passes through the countryside further south, taking in the Menhir du Champ Dolent and the Fontaine Saint-Samson.

The route is mainly in the countryside, through the Marais Blanc and Marais Noir marshes, with no particular difficulties except for the ascent of the Mont-Dol hill via the north face (slippery in wet weather) and the descent to the town hall (uneven steps). The route takes the Chemin Vert between Dol de Bretagne and Mont-Dol. Beautiful view of the Marais Blanc and the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel from the top of the Mont Dol hill.

This route allows us to alternate between the discovery of a hilly landscape, marked by hedgerows and embankments, and the open landscape of the Dol marshes, criss-crossed by its vast network of canals and ditches and punctuated by the omnipresence of Mont-Dol and Dol-de-Bretagne Cathedral.

A very pleasant route along sunken paths (sometimes wet) and hedgerow paths. You will walk alongside small streams with the incessant sound of lapping water as they cross a stony area. The highlight of this hike is the Butte menhir.

Discover the charming little town of Bazouges-la-Pérouse, then walk through the woods to reach this former residence of the Counts of Fougères, now a guest house, and finally stroll along charming streams that offer peace and serenity.

Located in the north-west of the Ille-et-Vilaine department, Bonnemain is one of the twenty-six parishes in the canton of Combourg, also known as Romantic Brittany. This gentle walk allows you to discover the surrounding countryside and the Domaine des Ormes, renowned for its campsite. The path is lined with some beautiful stone houses and two wayside crosses. The path around the Étang de la Sablonnière is particularly pleasant.

In the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, a hike mainly along the coastal path with an almost permanent view of the bay and the Mont. From the tip of the Grouin du Sud, the spectacle of the rising tide is superb. A loop inland allows you to visit the beautiful and moving Romanesque chapel of the Prieuré Saint-Léonard.

In the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, a hike mostly along the coastal path, along the salt marshes. On either side of the Grouin du Sud, you can enjoy a superb view of Mont Saint-Michel and, from the point itself, the spectacle of the rising tide is impressive. Returning inland, you can visit the beautiful and moving Romanesque chapel of the Priory of Saint-Léonard.