Marais du Fresnier trail

After the lake of Vallée Mabile, the path leads the hiker below the Sillon de Bretagne to the marsh and its moat lined with trees and reeds, populated by grey herons feeding among the cows. You may also come across the corncrake, the bird with the most distinctive song.

Details

140370
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 45 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 45 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 49 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: Small road north of Lac de Mabille, near the swimming pool.

(S/E) Take the path between the swimming pool and the shore of the lake. Follow the path along the eastern shore of the lake. Find the GR3 (white and red markings). Continue on the path that descend to the bottom of the dam.

(1) Turn left and follow the GR3 (white and red arrow) down the valley to the road D17, which you follow for about 50 metres.

(2) Cross the road, leaving the GR3 continue north-west and take the passage under the railroad line. At the next fork in the road, turn right into the village of "Petit Brossais".

(3) At the hamlet, turn right and cross the tarmac road to take the opposite path. Pass under a high-voltage power line and reach a road which you follow to the right. Then turn left towards "l'Ile"; the path enters the marshland.

(4) Turn left. Pass under the high-voltage power line again, then follow the small road to the right. Pass Lambais.

(5) At the crossroads, turn right towards "Les Rives". Continue straight ahead through the marshes.

(6) After the second footbridge, take the path on the left, continuing until you reach the D93.

(7) Turn left. Rejoin the D17. Turn right, then immediately left to go up to "La Goupillère".

(8) In the village, turn left, then right into the street. Turn left again onto the one-way road. Take the second path on your right and walk up towards the dam.

(1) Go left up to the lake, following its western shore (do not take the same path as before). At the end, turn right onto the road and return to the starting point.(S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 42 m - Lac de la Vallée Mabille
  2. 1 : km 0.9 - alt. 28 m - At the bottom of the dam
  3. 2 : km 1.58 - alt. 15 m - Route D17
  4. 3 : km 2.13 - alt. 22 m - Le Petit Brossais
  5. 4 : km 3.62 - alt. 3 m - L'Ile
  6. 5 : km 4.43 - alt. 17 m - Carrefour in Lambais
  7. 6 : km 5.14 - alt. 2 m - Crossing after a footbridge
  8. 7 : km 6.2 - alt. 3 m - Route D93
  9. 8 : km 7.03 - alt. 37 m - La Goupillère
  10. S/E : km 8.72 - alt. 42 m - Vallée Mabille lake

Notes

Circuit accessible all year round. Some parts can be flooded. Take care when crossing or walking along the roadside.

Worth a visit

Just a few steps away...

Savenay town and its heritage
From the top of its belvedere, Savenay overlooks the Loire Valley. Watching out for possible attackers, the town has protected an original heritage worthy of its status as a former sub-prefecture: the Cordeliers convent, the hospital, the Halles, the former teacher training college, etc.
But Savenay was also deeply marked by the French Revolution. The terrible and bloody Battle of Savenay (December 22-23, 1793) was the last battle of the Virée de Galerne, which saw the tragic end and annihilation of the Vendée army, with a decisive victory for the Republican forces. In 1881, Comte Alexandre de Monti commissioned the erection of a fleur-de-lis stone cross to commemorate the battle: the Croix des Vendéens.

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Our Lake District Escapades
Our Lake District Escapades ★

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this walk with our dog and baby in the baby carrier. A pleasant walk along the lake and through the marsh. We shortened the walk because baby was fed up and from (3) went straight to (5). The walk is fairly shady except in the marsh.

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Mélodie
Moderator - Visorando English

PlantesVertes
PlantesVertes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice hikes!
Family level, but beware of children on the duration and road crossings. Otherwise very pleasant itineraries, full of different landscapes, you go from the lake, to the forest, to the hedgerows, to the fields, to the marshes, etc. I highly recommend it!
Just be careful: when you start out along the lake, always keep as close to the lake as possible, at one point there's a fork in the road with a small path leading towards the lake, which you should take at
. The same goes for the dam, which you should go down immediately after passing on your right.

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lester feller
lester feller

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The day I did the hike, there weren't many people. It's a tour I'd recommend. Very pleasant, easy and close to nature.

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Yat
Yat

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A trail immersed in invigorating nature. There are two lookouts where you can take a break to observe the wildlife and the marshy landscape.

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plidenantes
plidenantes

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A fine walk, with no major difficulties.

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jclucas
jclucas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely 2h30 hike (9 km)

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AIRBUS2016a
AIRBUS2016a

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant tour, with some great discoveries.

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berry44
berry44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant 2? hour walk, with no rush and frequent shady areas for those hot summers. A great variety of landscapes over this short distance.

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Alian
Alian

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We didn't do the whole hike, as the marshes between points 6 and 7 were impassable at that time of year.
Do it again in spring or summer.

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sokoban
sokoban

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Easy walk with varied and beautiful scenery (lake, canals). I'd recommend it.

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MichGu
MichGu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

not too long a hike varied landscapes and, above all, lots of blackberries to be enjoyed without moderation

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belouga44
belouga44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk with the lake and views over the marshes.
Beware: in wet weather, the marshes are flooded and the section between points 6 and 7 is impassable.

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