Langon < > Saint-Malo-de-Phily
26.0 km 6h30
Directions :
0.00 - Langon. With the church behind you, leave heading north towards the station (Grande rue then Rue de la Gare, D56). After the cemetery which is 500m away, turn right 500m further on, near a large Cross, before the station. Cross a level crossig and continue straight ahead, keeping to the left on a bend, as far as the Vilaine. Here, a little less than 2km from your departure, continue to the left, in the direction of « Le Dongeloup » alongside the river, which is once again your walking companion. After a fine metallic old roadbridge, go past...
0h40 02.7- ... the small marina of Port-de-Roche and carry on along the Vilaine as it curves before you reach...
02h00 08.1 - ... the lovely site of Corbinières which has one of the most beautiful viaducts in France, built in 1861. Continue along the towpath, pass under...
2h20 09.8 - ... the roadbridge of St-Marc. This right bank of the Vilaine is for several kilometres bordered with cabins, one of which is a bar-restaurant, and some small villas as far as the lock ...
3h10 12.7 - ... l’écluse de Mâlon. Continue on the towpath leaving to your left (at 15km) a small chapel known as Gratitude, built in thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin by survivors of river shipwrecks, as evidenced by a number of old votives. Go past a campsite for 400m before arriving at...
4h10 16,7- ... port de Guipry with its impressive old mill located between the Vilaine and the feed-canal for the lock. The gîte municipal is on the other bank of the Vilaine at Messac. Consider visiting the nearby chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Port. Leave the Port of Guipry either by going under the bridge over the Vilaine past the toilets if you are near the marina, or going down to the right towards the lock if you are coming from the gîte at Messac.
Carry on along the towpath. After 800m, notice on the right the new pleasure port of Messac. Admire the beautiful Manoir de la Gaudmelais at 21.8km. Both banks of the river are cultivated here, and you can observe by the Vilaine some fields of black wheat (sarrasin).
Further away, the Pilgrim’s attention is drawn to some wind turbines on the heights of Pléchâtel, to the right, and the impressive belltower St-Malo-de-Phily, on the left, 100m above the river before passing the hamlet near the lock of...
6h00 24.0 - ... l’écluse de Macaire. 800m further, pass under the bridge of the D42 which goes towards the railway station of Pléchâtel to the right.
The towpath continues (tarmacked here) which you leave by keeping left to cross diagonally a gravelled parking area and taking after 250m a path which leads to the area La Bruère 200m away, where you follow the GR®39 to go up a path for 500m towards Rue d’Aleth which leads, on the right, to...
6h30 26.00 - ... Place de l’Église at St-Malo-de-Phily, the end of the stage.
