Saint-Jacques-en-Bannalec < > Quimperlé
STAGE PROFILE: 26.3 km 6h35
DIRECTIONS
00.0 – Leave Saint-Jacques-en-Bannalec in the direction of Saint-Thurien at first, and take an immediate right onto the road for Bannalec (signposted). Then go up left towards Kerlec, and back down. At the entrance of the farm 2km away, head left onto a dirt path which leads to the bottom of the valley of the Isole (factory: Conserverie Bretonne ). Follow the D23 to the right, passing by the factory, cross a stream and take a path on the left which immediately climbs right up the wooded slope as far as a little road. Take it to the left. At the hamlet of Kerzudal, again turn left onto a road which you follow for about 1km. It goes down. Where it begins to go up again don’t miss the ‘hollow’ embanked path on the left which climbs uphill. (If you continue by the road, you arrive after 800m at Sainte-Anne. From Sainte-Anne, you get to Cantine after 1km.) The path crosses a little road ; continue opposite (a pretty little valley). Again cross a little road and keep going opposite.
1h35 06.4 – At the junction of Cantine, continue straight ahead towards Pont Fertil. Cross the stream, and shortly on the right, a beautiful semi-circular path opens up, which crosses another stream before going up to the hamlet of Kerguillerm. Go back onto the road heading left and get to the hamlet of Kergouriou. At the exit, to the right, the path leads to Stang David, then to a road onto which you go right for 100m as far as D765 (very busy: attention !) which you follow to the right for 500m.
2h15 09.2 – At Kerluc (chambres d'hôtes/guesthouse), turn left towards Kernaour. The farm track may be impracticable ; in this case go via the field on the left. Reach a little road which you go down to the right. Cross a stream then cross the railway and go up to the hamlet of Kerandun. Head in the direction of Le Trévoux, to the left, and follow the road as far as the centre of the market town of...
3h15 13.0 – ... Le Trévoux : head towards Riec-sur-Belon. At the far outskirts, turn left onto Impasse de Rubeo, then right (bread-oven), then left onto Route de Lanorgard. There, after crossing the stream (mill on the right, wooded pond on the left), go back up left onto the road for about 800m. After Kerhonit Vian, head towards Kerhonit Izel, to the right. Pass over the moterway, go 250m and turn left towards Bodélio (accueil pèlerin (pilgrim welcome) at the Ospital de Ronan Pérennou ; accommodation, oratory). From Bodélio, go to Kernivinen, then take a left and shortly a right onto a path which heads left after 200m and leads to the D22, at the Saint-Jean-de-Pont-Men quarter (souvenir of Hospitaliers) : a Calvary with explanatory panel. Go back up the D22 by the right (wide margin suitable for those on foot) to...
4h50 19.4 – ... the chapel of La Madeleine. Turn left in the direction of Mellac to cross over the motorway and take a right towards Kerleign-Vras, Kerbraz. At Kerbraz, take a right, cross the stream, go back up and turn left. You arrive at the railway. Go right, under a road, and head onto the path on the right. A causeway (passerelle) made of wood over the stream, the Dourdu, which gives a line to follow on the Way to Quimperlé. Take a left onto the Côteaux de Kerbertrand trail, which is magnificent, through woodland, as far as the archery field. Turn left, and don’t cross the stream but follow the right bank, still in woodland.
You come to a first "casse-pattes" steep descent, followed by a second, which leads you near to an area of housing which you leave to the right to head up left, and go along the fencing behind the catering building of the hospital, then go down cross-country onto a road which you take to the right, then left (impasse de Kerglanchard). Pass over the stream, then under the railway, and go up to the right.
Go down Rue de Kerfontaine (quarter of Coatcaer) to the right, turn left at the end, continue straight ahead and go back left up a ramp which leads to the Park of the Mairie. Go down Place Jean-Jaurès. At the end, follow Rue des Tanneries, Place des Anciens-Haras and Rue de l'Ancien-Hôpital which you go up by the left to arrive at Place Saint-Michel : reach the church of Notre-Dame (of the upper town). Go down Rue Savary, cross Place Carnot, and head into the old quarter via the Rue de l'Isole. On Place Hervo, near to the market halls, you find the imposing .......
6h35 26,3 – ... Abbey Church of Sainte-Croix, church of the lower town of Quimperlé.
