La Chapelle-des-Marais offers several ways to discover the Brière landscape and local basket-weaving culture. The difference between a shorter circular walk and a longer hiking loop is especially clear: Le Colvert is 9.5 kilometres long, while Le Héron is 13.5 kilometres. Mayun also hosts an annual festival in July. This lets you choose whether to focus your trip on outdoor activities or a specific cultural experience.
Two hiking loops of different lengths
Le Colvert is a yellow-marked 9.5 km circular route that starts and ends at Esplanade Bernard Legrand, near the Médiathèque. You can walk it in either direction. As local signage may change, check the waymarks on site.
Le Héron is a 13.5 km hiking loop that starts at the Médiathèque on Rue de Penlys. It is four kilometres longer than Le Colvert; the start locations also differ: Rue de Penlys for Le Héron and Esplanade Bernard Legrand for Le Colvert. Works were expected on Le Héron in summer 2026. Check the current route before setting out.
Oak trees, marshland and a bread oven
Le Héron runs from paths lined with imposing oak trees into the Marais de Brière. Restored bread ovens along the route recall the festive baking traditions of earlier times. On Le Héron, visitors can also watch nesting birds in the Parc naturel régional de Brière. Landscape and heritage meet along the same loop.
Le Pic Vert offers a different landscape: this route passes through the wooded countryside of La Chapelle-des-Marais. Rather than assuming the trails share a route, they complement one another by offering different views of the landscape.
Mayun: a basket-weavers’ neighbourhood and festival
Mayun is a neighbourhood of La Chapelle-des-Marais and a community of basket weavers. It lies on the site of a former island in the Marais de Brière. Mayun’s baskets differ from other basket-weaving traditions in the region. This gives the area’s history a distinct cultural focus alongside its hiking trails.
The Festival de la Vannerie et du patrimoine takes place every year in July in Mayun, a hamlet in the commune. The Panier mayunnais is the festival’s emblem. If you want to plan your trip around the event, check the specific dates in advance.
Cycling routes and walks in nature
La Chapelle-des-Marais has designated cycle routes and protected paths reserved exclusively for non-motorised vehicles. You can enjoy nature walks at the Port des Fossés Blancs. Alongside the marked hiking loops, these offer further ways to explore the area on foot or by bike.
A section of the GR® de Pays Tour de Brière runs through the commune between the Port des Fossés Blancs and the Camer/Camérun islands, sharing its route with the PR® Le Héron. Check local notices for any closures or diversions on this section.
Discover more destinations: Nantes, La Turballe, Donges, Guémené-Penfao, Orvault, Bourgneuf-En-Retz, Sion-Les-Mines, Issé.
For the main travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.
