Soudan walks

What better way to explore a town than on foot? That’s what I’m suggesting here: discover, in my own way, the small but charming town of Châteaubriant. So, follow me...

A pleasant route in Châteaubriant, passing by places for relaxation and leisure, ponds, the château... This small town of 12,000 inhabitants has many charming and enjoyable aspects to discover.

A pleasant walk in the countryside that takes us past old lime kilns.

A pleasant route that takes you along paths to discover the pretty countryside of Pouancé, its ponds, its castle and the charming village with its narrow streets and beautiful bourgeois houses. A superb family walk with lovely views.

A lovely walk, almost entirely along beautiful, shaded paths. Starting from a pond, you’ll make your way to the highest point in the Loire-Atlantique department. You’ll cross vast agricultural landscapes bordered by beautiful hedgerows and enjoy the bountiful natural surroundings.

A very pleasant walk between forest and lake with no difficulty except, for some, the distance. After enjoying the tranquillity of the Araize Forest at the start, you will then experience the calm and serenity of the Étang de la Forge lake.

A beautiful and very pleasant hike, mostly along a wide, shaded stone path. The trail goes around the pond. Best done in dry weather.

Rougé takes its name from the colour of the soil. Set off to explore the iron route, which partly follows the old railway line through the Brutz valley, crossing landscapes of moorland and hedgerows. You will see the site of the old iron mines, which were worked by the Celts and Gallo-Romans. You will notice the red colour of some of the paths, a sign of the presence of iron ore in the region. The same is true, in places, of the water in the streams.

This walk will allow you to discover beautiful countryside, a few mysterious woods, magical ponds and a fine collection of crosses. Most of the walk takes place along shaded paths lined with majestic trees. The sections on the road, however long or short, are quickly forgotten!

Moisdon-la-Rivière is a small village situated a few kilometres from Châteaubriant, on the D178. About 2 km from the village liesthe Étang de la Forge, a former site of industrial forges. There is a museum, a café, and a beautiful pond surrounded by schist rocks. The route around this site is very pleasant and open to all from April to September (check the exact dates each year). The pond is fed by the River Don. The route runs between the pond and the river, making for a very pleasant walk.

The Guerche Forest is ever-present on this route, whether you follow its southern edge or it closes off the horizon to the north. Beautiful architecture typical of the Pays Guerchais in Drouges and its many villages.

This route, which is partly unmarked, will allow you to explore part of the ‘Voie Verte’ cycle path, built on a former railway line, running from Teillay to Guipry-Messac. You’ll walk alongside the Teillay Forest, passing the Saint-Eustache Chapel and some ponds.

This route consists mainly of dirt tracks that were preserved during land consolidation, allowing you to discover the richness of the built heritage, particularly in the hamlets of La Perrière (17th-century manor house) and La Rinjardière. The southern section also follows the Roman road that linked Angers to Rennes. Magnificent stone bridges bear witness to this rich past. This route has been awarded the FFRandonnée label.

Le Theil-de-Bretagne is a predominantly rural commune with a rich architectural, religious and natural heritage. The Résidence Bon Abri, the Notre-Dame de Beauvais Chapel, listed as a historic monument, the Château de La Rigaudière and the church with its patriotic stained-glass windows are just a few examples. This hike takes us through the countryside around Le Theil-de-Bretagne, where we can discover a landscape of hedgerows and orchards as we stroll along, enjoying the peace and quiet and gentle way of life.

This unmarked route will allow you to explore the village of La Couyère, Château du Plessis and the Astronomy Centre. N.B. A long stretch of road (5 km); the rest consists of paths and tracks.

A short, easy walk suitable for families around the La Rincerie lake. A pair of binoculars might be useful for exploring the birdwatching area (western part of the lake).

This is a short circular variation on the walk known as the ‘Boucle dans la campagne du Theil-de-Bretagne’ starting from La Roche aux Fées (no.88594830) The circular route starts at the Allée couverte de la Roche aux Fées, an iconic monument that is extremely well preserved. Le Theil de Bretagne is a predominantly rural commune, rich in architectural, religious and natural heritage. The Résidence Bon Abri, the Notre-Dame de Beauvais Chapel (listed as a Historic Monument), the Château de La Rigaudière, and the Church, with its patriotic stained-glass windows, are just a few examples. This countryside walk crosses the commune of Le Theil-de-Bretagne.

The route starts at the Roche aux Fées dolmen, the best-preserved iconic monument in Europe. The walk takes you through meadows and fields, perfect for relaxation. The crossing of Theil-de-Bretagne is fairly short, so you can take the opportunity to stop at the wash house park. The route continues through the hamlet of La Rigaudiére and the pond of the same name.

A beautiful short walk in a pleasant and surprising setting. Great view from the top of the slag heap.- 2019: No real changes to the route, but a fence has been put up to protect the entire inner area after checkpoint 2. Follow this route.