Nort sur Erdre – la Chapelle sur Erdre
STAGE PROFILE : - 20.5 km - 05h05
Looking at the regional map and taking account of the general direction of this stage, the pilgrim might think s/he could go along the Way enjoying the banks of ‘the most beautiful river in France’ ... but this is not possible because both Man and Nature do not permit. The source of the river Erdre is north-west of Angers and the river is 97km long. The river banks are still wild places. A section of the Erdre is navigable. A tributary of the Loire, the river joins it at Nantes.
This stage is very pleasant to walk through. You have the pleasure of going through many of the types of countryside that a pilgrim enjoys, as well as seeing a harbour on the Erdre at SUCE SUR ERDRE.
The stage goes either side of the D69 which you go alongside (carefully) to get to, north of NANTES, the market town of Chapelle sur Erdre and the GR 3 ; this GR will bring you along the next stage towards Nantes, the large regional capital which, with its recently restored, château speaks of its important role in the destiny of Brittany.
DIRECTIONS:
0.00 - ... Nort sur Erdre. With your back to the church, leave via rue du Général Leclerc for 200m. At the roundabout, continue straight ahead in the direction of Casson by rue François Dupas (D26) for a little less than 1km.
0H15 01.1 – Follow the road for Casson as far as the outskirts of Nort sur Erdre. 50m after the town-limits sign, take the path to the right, bringing you to a road which you take to the left. Continue along this road as far as the next crossing. Go almost directly opposite onto a farm track for about 1.5km, leaving some paths to your right, crossing a local road, and ignoring at another crossing of paths, those going to the right and to the left. At the far end, the path goes to your left, to arrive near a livestock building, then an intersection with a road. Go right, and after 150m, leave a group of houses and other buildings to your right. Go down straight ahead via a grassy path towards the Nantes-Brest Canal heading for ....
1H05 04.5 – Lock/écluse de la Tindière, after having crossed a little woooden bridge going up towards the canal . Continue to the left on the towpath for 1km as far as the D26 in the area of Vive-Eve. Cross the bridge carefully, then go onto the right bank of the canal. Step over the guard rail. Go along the canal on a grassy path as far as the junction with a feed-canal crossed by a little bridge; don’t cross the bridge. Turn right and follow the path along this feed-canal, crossing the D69 (careful crossing), then to a’passerelle’ overbridge which you cross. (Gîte/lodging on your left). Continue to the right for 150m to...
1H40 06.9 ... Pas Chevalier. (neighbouring village/ ‘commune’ of CASSON)
From Pas-Chevalier to Sucé sur Erdre, the Way goes south for 7km. It crosses many paths and roads. It passes through no villages and has few signposts. Description:
At a little more than 600m, fork left at the goose-foot shaped junction under the high tension wires. 550m further, the path comes out parallel to a road. Continue straight ahead.
For 2.6km, follow the path straight ahead, going across roads three times – the last crossing indicates the way to the village of Prouveries. Keep going, then 500m further the path enters the area of ...
2H35 10.6 ... La Chauvelière. Go round it to the right.
At 1.2km, still keeping straight ahead through two intersections, and straight ahead when the main path enters a private property to the left. Here the grassy path for the next 300m can be wet in rainy weather.
The path comes out onto a road with a village on the other side of the road. Go left for 340m, pass in front of a CUMA agricultural co-operative, then the entrance to Gaëc de la Cormerais. On the left hand bend, follow the farm track on the right.
Continue straight ahead for 1.6km towards Sucé sur Erdre crossing roads twice. On a downhill, the path reaches another path. Take a left towards Rue Raphaël which....
3H20 13.8-... leads onto rue de Nort (D69), at Sucé sur Erdre, near a big building (Sésame Home on the right). Turn right, continue to the intersection and take a left onto rue de Casson ; cross the Tram-train line, then follow rue Descartes straight as far as the church, which you go around. (From the church you can see Tour Gaillard via the Grande Rue). Continue along rue de la Mairie which brings you to ...
3H45 14.9 -... a lovely harbour. (numerous restaurants and shops –Tourist office 100mon your left)
To continue, go along Bliesransbach quay. At the end of the quay go up to the right, going round by the Rue du Port to take Rue du Pin 80m further up. Follow it for 180m, then facing the junction, take the cyclepath Vélodyssée which also goes via the Rue de la Bretonnière. At house No.142, take a path on the right which leads to rue des Ecureuils. After 230m, turn right onto route des Côteaux de la Turbalière which brings you after 150m to the D69 and the cyclepath Vélodyssée (16km) which you follow to La Chapelle-sur-Erdre.
Take a left and walk along the left side of the D-road for 250m, before turning left then shortly right onto a downhill path for 300m ; after the intersection with a road, go on upwards for another 300m to rejoin the D69. Turn left and continue on the cyclepath alongside the D-road before bearing left after 600m, to pass under the D69. After going through the tunnel, follow the Vélodyssée which goes along the D69 to the right. After 850m, pass over the pretty stream of Hocmard by a ‘passerelle’ wooden (or imitation wood) overbridge. The path immediately crosses a road towards Mouline, then after 500m a roundabout with access to a gendarmerie/police station. About 500m further, you reach the end of the maintained path; continue your way alongside a fairly busy road as far as a roundabout at the outskirts of La Chapelle sur Erdre 500m away. Enter the market town by the Rue de Sucé-sur-Erdre then rue de Louise Michel which leads to ...
5H05 20.5 -... the church of Chapelle sur Erdre, the end of this stage.
