Le canal de Nantes à Brest

The Nantes-Brest canal, both a work of engineering and a haven of nature, crosses 365 km of Brittany, from Loire-Atlantique to Finistère. In Kreiz Breizh, it reveals a peaceful and little-known inland Brittany, ideal for exploring on foot, by bike or on the water.

Built in the 19th century to bypass the English blockade, the canal facilitated the transport of goods to central Brittany. One of its most impressive works, the Grande Tranchée de Glomel, was dug in part by 600 convicts from Brest, between 1832 and 1836. Another feat of engineering: the double lock at Coat-Natous, in Mellionnec, enables the river to negotiate a steep gradient, unique on the route.

Along the canal, you'll discover lock ladders, the village of Gouarec, the Bon-Repos site, and cross paths with cyclists on the Vélodyssée, a European itinerary that partly follows the canal from Roscoff to Hendaye.

There's no shortage of activities: flat-bottomed boat trips with Katoune, horse-drawn carriage tours with Kreizy Kalèche, canoe-raft slides at Glomel, and boat, canoe, bike or scooter rentals to make the most of the towpath.