Malestroit – Saint-Jacut-les-Pins

6H15 25.0 km

Description:

00.0 – Malestroit. The stage begins at gîte at lock no. 25. Immediately cross the bridge to get to the west bank of the canal. Pass under a first bridge, then a second stone-built bridge. Follow the towpath, which is asphalted in places and soon bordered by houses. Take a passage through two houses to the right just before the metal pedestrian overbridge. This passage comes out onto a road (attention, danger !). Cross over and go up the road opposite (waymarked GR and Roman Way - voie romaine). After 300m, bear left and go up the path which heads into a woodland area. After a little less than 1km, just before the first house, take a little path to the left which comes out after 200m onto a paved road. The chapel of Saint-Marc and its Cross are situated slightly to the left. The Way continues to the right along this little road as far as a junction 200m away; turn left. Leave a first dirt track on the right, and after 300m take a right onto the Roman road for 1.5km. Having arrived at a junction with three possibilities ahead (goose-foot), take the middle path, a dirt track, and carry on straight ahead for about 3km to get to the chapel of Notre Dame de Lorette, located in a very beautiful surrounding. Take the C5 to the left at the junction, in the direction of...

2h00 08.0 – ... Saint-Congard. Go through the town taking the D764 to the right for 50m, then go left in the direction of Saint-Martin-sur-Oust to get to the canal. Take the towpath on the west (right-hand) bank for 5 km. 100 m after a...

3h15 13.0 –… ferme auberge (farm-inn) «La Grange aux Moines», take a minor road to the right. At a tarmac road about 200m away, turn left and take an immediate right (5m) onto a grassy path; go over a walkway and head uphill. At the Cross of La Batardais, after 200 m, take a right then a left onto the first chemin creux – treelined embanked path – bordered with hedging. Walk straight ahead passing near to Plessis. The path, having now become stony, crosses a little asphalt road and keeps going opposite as far as the D777 which leads shortly to the town of...

3h45 15.1 – …. Saint-Gravé. Turn right, then left just before the church, to take a little further on the direction of Malansac (D 134). Leave this road after 100m and go onto the one which heads off opposite into the woods. After less than 1km, continue straight on to the junction and turn left 100m further on in the direction of Gressets. Take another left when you get then, then follow the stony path after a right-hand bend.

Walk for 500 m, passing by a pond. Then take the path to the right which heads into the woods. After a left-hand bend, this path leads onto another path about 700m from the pond. Take this farm track to the right and go down for 300m. On a right-hand bend, turn left and immediately right onto a VTT-trail (mountainbike trail) through the woods; reach a little road opposite the mill Moulin du Gué de l'Epine ; go left along this road for 250m ; at the junction go right ; cross the stone bridge over the Arzet and turn immediately left. After 1km find…

4h45 19.2 – ... Le Vau d'Arz where you find the gîte Pégase. Further on, at the junction, take a left (GR38) in the direction of Isagnons, chez Charles. After a little less than 800m, continue to the right on the path which stretches on through the pines for about 2km. Reach a clearing with a junction with several possible directions. Go opposite and straight ahead onto La Butte des Cinq Moulins (five mills). Go right after the third mill, follow the path bordering the agricultural land; follow this path to the left (you can see the bell-tower of Saint-Jacut) as far as a paved road which leads to….

6H00 24,2 – … Saint-Jacut-les-Pins