Nort-sur-Erdre < > Blain
25.7 km 6h20
Directions :
0.00 – Leave from the church of Nort-sur-Erdre and take Rue Aristide Briand for 300m, then continuing straight along Rue Fairand, and then keep left along Boulevard Charbonneau et Rouxeau (D164) before forking right near a nursing home (maison de retraite) on the left and just before the cemetery at 700m from the start. Carry on along this road which narrows after a gas station on the left. Keep left at the next junction. At the following one, head opposite (1.8km) onto a grassy path for 500m as far as a tarmac road, near an iron Cross on a plinth.
Continue right towards the village of La Varenne and, after 80m, keep left to carry on along a tarmac road for a little more than 400m before turning left onto a farm track, just after several acres of vinyard. After a little less than 400m, there is an intersection with a tarmac road. Fork right onto a tarmac road. After 400m, go through the areas of La Chalandière, then La Rabinière and also Marcore. Just after some large barns, at a bridge over a feed-canal for the Nante-Brest canal at the area of...
1h05 4.4 ... Bridge/Pont des Orillères, go along the left bank of the feeder-canal, after having left to your right an aqueduct. The feeder-canal, also known as ‘little canal’, is 21.3km long and was constructed between 1833 and 1836 to maintain the waterlevel of the main canal. It is fed from the reservoir of Vioreau and goes through a subterranean tunnel of 600m and across several aqueducts. This walk, of a little more than 2km, is pleasant, and passes over 2 bridges. At the third, take a left onto a tarmac road for a little more than 200m to get to the Nantes-Brest canal. Here fork right to follow along the north-bank towpath. Continue on your Way passing by the lock « Pas d’Héric » (7.4km) where the lock-keeper’s house is on the opposite bank, to get to. . .
2h00 8.1 - ... the D39, where you need to change to the other bank to continue along the Way. Here you are at the beginning of a beautiful wooded area on both banks, which makes the walk particularly agreeable in all seasons, for 3km as far as a tarmac road (10.8km). Continue to enjoy the pleasures of the towpath to reach, after two curves in the canal, the area of ...
3h15 13.1 - ... « Bout du Bois» where the Pilgrim to Mont St Michel (le miquelot) must again change banks when crossing the D537 (Attention, traffic). Here, you can make use of the bars and restaurants you find nearby on this D-road. Continue your Way, crossing a leisure area near to a dock and pass under the Nantes – Rennes motorway. After 1.8km, cross a tarmac road and carry on along the towpath on the same bank as far as...
3h50 15.5- ... the lock of « La Remaudais»
4h20 17.2 - Pass under the D132 near the town of La Chevallerais [All services available 500m away]. Cross a leisure area and carry on, going over a metal grid bridge over a weir at 18.2km. 250m further the path crosses a stony road and passes, after 250m near to the lock of « Gué de l’Atelier ».
5h05 20.2 – Lock of « Terrier ». The path carries on along a tarmac towpath for 250m as far as a tarmac road. Continue to go by the final lock of this day’s journey « La Prée ». . At the approach to Blain, the towpath is once again tarmacked for 1.3km as far as the Port of Blain (Quai Surcouf) and you take a left onto the canal overbridge to get to...
6h20 25,3-... the gîte and the château de Blain by taking the Promenade Anne de Bretagne. [On Quai Surcouf is an area of restaurants etc, and the beginning of a route towards the town centre]
