1. Visorando
  2. Brittany
  3. 35 - Ille-et-Vilaine
  4. Hédé

The 11 locks and 7 mills of Hédé

Circuit exploring the 11 locks of the Canal d’Ille-et-Rance.

Technical sheet
No. 2659
A Hédé walk posted on 20/02/12 by imberti. Update : 22/11/16
Calculated time Calculated time: 3h25[?]
Distance Distance : 11.56km
Vertical gain Vertical gain : 61m
Vertical drop Vertical drop : 63m
Highest point Highest point : 110m
Lowest point Lowest point : 47m
Easy Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point Back to starting point : Yes
Walking Walking
Location Location : Hédé (35630)
Starting point Starting point : N 48.296855° / W 1.80062°
Map IGN Map (Click to buy) : Ref. 1217SB
Download : -

Description

Start at Place de l’Eglise.
Take Rue de l'Abbaye and then Rue des Douves and the road to the left. Take the right path (1) along the football field, follow it straight ahead crossing four roads.
Take a wooded path to the left, and turn left at the end (2). At a right turn (3) look out for the menhirs in the fields on the left (three including one laying down).
Cross the D221, take the road 200 m ahead, take the left path (4) up to the D287, follow it right and cross the canal bridge (5) and turn left.
Follow the canal on the GR37 to explore the site of the 11 locks as far as La Magdalene (6) (canal house museum). Switch to the other side along the canal in the other direction. At the height of the Péchetiére lock (7) turn right along the GR37 crossing three roads.
Continue beneath the cemetery below the town. Cross the small bridge on the left (notice the fountain on the left).
Climb towards the village. Take the Rue de la Barrière for 50 m then turn right down a lane to reach the ruins of a castle (8) and admire the view before reaching the church.

Waypoints :
D/A : km 0 - alt. km 0
1 : km 0.27 - alt. km 0.27 - Path right to the Football Stadium
2 : km 3.16 - alt. km 3.16 - Path left to the Menhirs
3 : km 4.22 - alt. km 4.22 - Menhirs
4 : km 4.81 - alt. km 4.81 - Left path to the canal
5 : km 5.77 - alt. km 5.77 - Bridge over the canal
6 : km 7.62 - alt. km 7.62 - La Magdeleine
7 : km 8.85 - alt. km 8.85 - Péchetière lock
8 : km 10.69 - alt. km 10.69
9 : km 11.04 - alt. km 11.04 - Ruined castle
D/A : km 11.56 - alt. km 11.56

Useful Information

The Magdalene museum on the Canal d’Ille-et-Rance. Bar/Restaurant.
Hédé ruins of the castle church.
The canal house.

We advise taking IGN maps with you on this walk. Click here to buy : 1217SB.

Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.

During the walk or to do/see around

Les Iffs its 15th 17th century church
Castle Montmuran 12th-18th century

Tinteniac church, old houses, museum of tools and crafts

Quebriac zoo and leisure park

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Walking Around Chevré lake
distance 9.61km Vertical gain +57m Vertical drop -58m Durée 2h55 Easy Easy
Starting point Starting point in La Bouëxière - 35 - Ille-et-Vilaine

A short trail in Brittany’s countryside with a section along the Veuvre that winds before flowing into Chevré lake. Do not miss the small Roman bridge with its stone arches.

Walking The mills of Rance - Les Grèves
distance 15.33km Vertical gain +201m Vertical drop -204m Durée 4h50 Average Average
Starting point Starting point in Le Minihic-sur-Rance - 35 - Ille-et-Vilaine

La Rance saw its first tidal mill built in 1181 (Moulin du Lupin near Rothéneuf). Were built between the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Today there are not many of these renewable energy suppliers. This tour allows you to see the ruins of two mills (Fosse Mort and La Herviais) and to walk around this estuary ideal for the construction of mills.

For more walks, use our search engine.

The GPS track and description are the property of the author.