ENVIRONMENT
ALONG THE CANAL OF NANTES TO BREST
Hiking and walking are among the favorite leisure activities of French people
and what could be more appealing than setting off to discover the Canal of
Nantes to Brest will offer you the opportunity to discover some unique places
while embarking on the vast adventure of life with its majestic landscapes
which seem to reproduce in life-size the vicissitudes of existence expressed by the meanders of its course and its gentle and great undulating banks that one never tires of discovering.
Initiated and built during the first half of the 19thth The Nantes-Brest Canal, dating back to the 19th century, is a small-gauge canal that connects the cities of Nantes and Brest,following eight valleys from the Erdre in Loire-Atlantique to the Aulne in Finistère . It is supplemented by rivers linked by three connecting canals that cross watersheds , and by eight channeled streams that supply water and are navigable during the useful season. Its course is harmoniously configured sometimes looping like a big coiling snake , making it a pleasure to follow its entire length the Canal spanning three
its length, The Canal, spanning three departments—Loire-Atlantique, Morbihan, and Finistère—and stretching for 364 kilometers, is a vibrant and often surprising landscape, a delight to discover whether on foot, during mountain biking excursions,or during the season,which runs from early April to the end of October. on a houseboat that doesn't require license, allowing couples, families, or groups of friends to enjoy a weekend getaway or a longer stay,getting as close as
possible to the water while taking in the 360-degree view of its radiant surrounding landscapes , also known as "Slow
Tourism " which is a way to discover a territory at a slower pace,taking your time,the whole thing also being completed
by bases of boat rentals, well-equipped ports and stopovers that also serve as entry and access points to the various
entry and access points to the various ancillary territories located along the Canal , also incorporating services to the
users and tourists passing through , well-suited for navigation , whom we encounter all along this radiant space the
Canal of Nantes to Brest is a great natural wonder that one never tires of visiting ,as there is so much to discover in this delightful place where history, culture and environmental protection are constantly intertwined.
Magical and Enchanting Colors
Endowed with radiant landscapes where magical and enchanting colors appear at sunrise, the Nantes-Brest Canal also boasts a magnificently preserved architectural heritage in its surroundings,a testament to our history that one observes
history that one observes while traveling along its course during visits harmoniously flowered places and villages such as Josselin on the banks of the Oust, or else Blain or Guenrouet, in addition to the 238 listed locks and their corresponding
dwellings called lockkeepers' houses now often used for cultural and artistic events such as painting or photography exhibitions, or for the presentation and promotion of handcrafted products made with tradition and expertise by local Art craftsmens , which can be enjoyed throughout the year and particularly in September during the European Heritage Days. Another pleasant feature to admire along the Canal is the richness and diversity of its fauna and flora found on its
foothills, offer the chance to admire kestrels, kingfishers, and red squirrels, among other species. Whether on foot, by bicycle, or aboard a pleasure boat adapted to the specifics of the Canal , travelling along the Canal of Nantes to Brest
is a pure marvel which allows you to discover places preserved in their original state where shaded clearings where it is good to stop, places of life,culture and relaxation arranged for conviviality as well as some great breaks between 2 hikes complemented by natural spaces expressing all that nature has to offer.
Report by: Gabriel Page
Photos credit: GABRIEL PAGE / Getty Images
