Saint-Samson-Sur-Rance offers a clear focus for planning your trip: hikes along the Rance can be combined with distinctive cultural sites. The local trails vary in duration, distance, difficulty and starting point. If you are looking for a hotel, you can plan your stay around the activities that matter to you: a two-hour riverside walk, a route with a specified distance, or historic buildings and works of art. The Châtelier lock and the fishing huts along the riverbank also give the place its own character.
Hiking trails: duration, distance and starting point
The Balade Samsonnaise starts at the car park by the football pitch. It follows the banks of the Rance for two hours and passes the Menhir de la Tiemblais, the Châtelier lock, the Pont de Lessard and the church of Saint-Samson. The route also uses a voie verte along a former railway line. This trail therefore combines a set duration with several named stops and different glimpses of the local heritage.
Two other routes offer a comparison in terms of distance and difficulty. La balade du Tertre is 3.7 kilometres long, is easy, and starts at the stadium in the town centre. La balade du Châtelier is 7.5 kilometres long, is of moderate difficulty, and starts at Port du Châtelier. If you are choosing by distance and difficulty, you can compare these two profiles; for the Balade Samsonnaise, by contrast, a duration of two hours is given. The different starting points help you take each route into account in your plans using its stated start location.
The local hiking trails have been signposted for some time. A voie verte is marked in the direction of Dinard; a towpath is signposted in the direction of Dinan and Rennes. These directions add two further options for walks and hikes to the specific local routes.
Lock, riverbank and carrelet fishing huts
The Châtelier lock is the last lock before the sea in a network of 48 locks. The Châtelier site is on a rocky promontory overlooking the maritime Rance. The Châtelier landing stage is at the edge of a cliff on the eastern municipal boundary of Saint-Samson-Sur-Rance. The details about the lock and the site show two sides of this place: its setting by the river and its role within the lock network.
Between the Châtelier lock and the Pont de Lessard, a few fishing huts used for carrelet fishing on stilts can still be seen. Some of the huts that remain have been abandoned and are falling into disrepair. A walk along the Rance therefore takes in not only distinctive structures, but also the remaining traces of fishing as part of the surrounding landscape. Their condition varies: some huts are still visible, while others are explicitly described as ruins.
Menhir and church of Saint-Samson
The Menhir de la Tiemblais is almost eight metres high and has engraved markings on three sides. It is dated approximately to the period between 3000 and 2500 BC. Since 2 March 1977, it has been classified as a Monument historique. Its size, engravings and very early date make it a particularly specific destination along the Balade Samsonnaise.
The church of Saint-Samson also brings together various historical details. The architect Michel Marion of Saint-Malo rebuilt it in 1740. The church houses a 17th-century statue of the Virgin and Child, inspired by models from workshops in Maine. The church's wooden lectern has been classified as a Monument historique since 1956. As well as the menhir, the town's architectural history and works of art therefore offer distinct points of interest to consider when choosing where to go.
Discover more destinations: Dolo, Lohuec, Minihy-Tréguier, Hillion, Loguivy-Plougras, Saint-Clet, Saint-Caradec, Maël-Pestivien.
For the broader travel overview: Côtes-D’armor.
