The Étang de Buhel is an 11-hectare recreational lake close to the centre of Plessé. Water sports, cycling routes and historic landmarks reveal other sides of the town.

Étang de Buhel: Lakeside Trail and Beach

The short circular walk around the lake follows a firm, level path and is also accessible to wheelchair users. There is also a purpose-built beach by the water, supervised in July and August. If this supervision is important to you, plan your visit during this period and check the details before travelling.

Water Sports at the Wake Park

The Base de loisirs Wake Park in Plessé offers kneeboarding, wakeboarding, water skiing and wakeskating. The facility rents stand-up paddleboards in two-person versions, as well as large boards for up to eight people. Private lessons with an instructor are also available at the small water-ski lift. The board sports are offered from the age of eight. Activities, rental equipment and lessons may change, so check before travelling whether your preferred activity, board format and lesson are available on your chosen date. This makes it easier to plan each part of the water sports offer.

Cycling Routes with Different Landmarks

The Boucle vélo de Plessé No. 17 links the Étang de Buhel with the centre of Dresny. It follows shaded roads, passes through the Domaine de Carheil and includes a section of the Nantes–Brest Canal. The Circuit de la Marquise starts at the body of water at Pont Rialland in Le Coudray, Plessé. It follows part of the former Saint-Malo–Hendaye railway line, which ran through Le Coudray.

The two routes offer different landmarks: the Boucle connects the Étang, Dresny, the Domaine de Carheil and a section of the canal, while the Circuit’s specific landmarks are Pont Rialland and the former railway line. You can distinguish between the routes by their named places and respective histories, without assuming a particular duration or distance.

Local History and Cultural Sites

The Circuit de la Marquise is also associated with the history of a metal structure: a resident of Le Coudray rescued it in 1982, after which it was restored to its original condition. Posts along the Randonnée Mazuet have QR codes. Scan them to hear residents of Plessé tell the stories of the places you visit. Here, the focus is on stories about several places, while the history of the Marquise centres on a specific structure.

The Chapelle Royale de Carheil-Plessé has been classified as a historic monument since 1980. It is described as the only remarkable site from the era of Louis-Philippe in western France. Together, the local stories, the restored metal structure and the chapel’s historical designation offer different ways to explore Plessé’s cultural history.

Discover more destinations: Mouzeil, Nort-Sur-Erdre, Nozay, Joué-Sur-Erdre, Bouaye, Saint-Vincent-Des-Landes, Saint-Mars-Du-Désert, Saint-Gildas-Des-Bois

For the broader travel guide: Loire-Atlantique.