Hikes in Paimpont

A short one-hour route in the heart of the mythical Brocéliande forest starting from Paimpont. A magical site to discover on a morning route with children.

Enchanted paths in the realm of wizard Merlin and fairy VivianeThe Forêt de Paimpont west of Rennes forms the largest contiguous forest area in Brittany. It is the last remnant of the legendary forest »Brocéliande«, where the famous stories of wizard Merlin, fairy Viviane, King Arthur, and Lancelot take place. Very impressive are the forest's primordial nature as it once existed in Celtic times, the enchanted »Valley of No Return«, and the imposing water castle Trécesson.

Landes de Gurwan, Valley of No Return, Trecesson Castle

Beautiful circular hike without major challenges along the sights related to the Grail legend.

The Forest of Brocéliande is the largest forest in Brittany that still exists today. It is the setting for many legends. A journey of discovery through the mythology surrounding King Arthur and the Arthurian legends leads to places such as the meeting place of King Arthur’s Round Table and his advisor and wizard Merlin, the Giant’s Grave, the Valley of No Return, and the home of the fairy Viviane. The landscape around Brocéliande is characterized by ponds, lakes, and streams. Dense tree canopies form a second sky, lending the forest a mysterious atmosphere not only at twilight but also in broad daylight. Those who aren’t particularly interested in these legends can simply relax on this tour with a good old-fashioned walk through the woods. With a little luck, you might spot gray herons or kingfishers along the shores of the lakes.> From the parking lot, we head west onto the trail marked with a “No Entry” sign. After 400 m, we reach the old slate cross, La Croix Lucas Brocéliande. The cross commemorates the site where a bloody battle took place in 876 between Count Gurvant of Rennes and Count Pascweten of Vannes. Both men were contenders for the Duchy of Brittany. At this point, we turn left and, at the next fork, turn left again, following the faded signs toward “Tombeau du Géant01” (194 m), a Bronze Age burial site also known as the Giant’s Grave. The site is associated with the legend of King Arthur because, according to tradition, it was a giant whom the Knights of the Round Table defeated. An information sign enhances the visit. We continue along the path through a small wooded area until the trail ends at a firebreak. We continue left on the trail until it, too, ends. We can already see houses in the distance, but after 70 m, at a metal post, we turn right onto the somewhat overgrown path until it ends. We head left to the road, turn left onto the road, turn right at the fork, and leave the road by turning slightly left—right between the houses! At the next fork, we turn slightly right, not left into the fields. We walk a short distance along a sunken path until we turn left at the next road, then turn left onto the dirt road after 175 m—there’s also a yellow signpost here. The canopy of trees thickens, it gets progressively darker, and we descend into the Val sans Retour02 (152 m)—which translates to “Valley of No Return”—well, let’s see if we can make it through there. We ignore the turnoffs to the right and left and continue along the stream. At the valley floor, where two streams converge, there’s a fork in the trail; we cross the stream bed to the right and begin the ascent. We ignore a right-hand turnoff marked by two wooden posts and reach a small hill at a clearing. We ignore the right-hand turnoff that joins our path and two left-hand turnoffs. The trail winds through a 180° hairpin turn, leads downhill, and after we turn slightly right at the road, we reach the village of Tréhorenteuc. If you turn left into the side street after 200 m, you’ll reach the church of Tréhorenteuc03 (92 m). Passing the tourist office, we head out of town and rejoin the main road; there, we walk a short distance to the right and cross the parking lot, turning slightly left onto the continuing road. Behind a barrier, the paved road ends, and the trail continues on a forest path. Crossing an artificial dam on the left, you’ll reach the Golden Tree, Arbre Ding04 (99 m). In September 1990, a fire destroyed large parts of the forest. After reforestation, the artist François Davin unveiled this artwork to commemorate the events and the legend of the forest. Directly behind the dam lies the pond Le Miroir aux Fées, which translates to “The Fairy Mirror.” Did the legendary figure Lancelot live in a crystal palace at the bottom of the pond? We continue on our way, walking along the pond and entering the lower part of the “Valley of No Return.” At times, we walk in a stream whose water takes on strange hues. It is said that Morgan le Fay held her lovers captive in this valley. At the point where the stream and the trail cross, we turn right and follow the stream bed. In a dark valley along a stream, we reach another small reservoir. We ignore one fork before and one fork after the reservoir. Where the trail forks, we take the path slightly to the right, now heading slightly uphill. Signposts pointing toward Tombeau du Géant are also present. At a clearing in the forest, we do not take the narrow path to the left, but instead turn right and follow the ascending path. Another fork in the trail follows, where we take the path slightly to the left, and after a short ascent, we reach the Hotié de Viviane05 (187 m). The House of Viviane is a megalithic site believed to be the home of the legendary fairy Viviane. After a short descent, the trail joins a gravel road that leads to the parking lot.

beautiful hike in a quiet place. done over two days

Not to be done with little ones, a bit of climbing that requires attention

Hiking in the Broceliande forest, from Trehorenteuc to the Barenton Fountain

Variante Gurwan, Trecesson et Val sans Retour.