Vallée du Boël

An active valley

Picture 1 Vallée du Boël

Just 6 miles (10km) south of Rennes, the Boël Valley is one of the most attractive sections of the River Vilaine. The valley is a popular destination with walkers and mountain-bikers as well as fans of kayaking. Twitchers shouldn’t miss the Parc Ornithologique de Bretagne in Bruz.

The colour purple

What makes this area special is its colour – thanks to the purple schist that has been used to construct many of the local buildings. The most famous building in Bruz, the area’s main town, is the Église St-Martin, which was rebuilt from 1950-54 after being destroyed (along with the rest of the town) by the Germans in May 1944 when 183 inhabitants were killed. Equally as colourful are the tropical birds in the Parc Ornithologique de Bretagne.

Building bridges

A good place to start your exploration of this area is Pont-Réan; there’s been a bridge over the river here since Roman times but the current one, with nine arches, dates from the 18th century. Leave your car in the car park and join a guided trip by kayak at the Base Nautique; more experienced paddlers can take off on their own.

Getting back to nature

Walkers and cyclists should pick up a copy of Balades en canton de Bruz from the tourist office, which outlines the different routes in the area – although, many visitors are content to amble along the towpath. Along the way you’ll encounter four locks, a picturesque 18th-century mill and the remains of the 16th-century Château de Cicé; the area boasts many other manor houses, which are privately owned and still occupied. The trails will take you over moorland, through woods and past purple cliffs – be sure to stop and admire the views.

Family friendly

There’s plenty in the valley to occupy active kids. The Village Équestre de Fénicat is the place to go for horse-riding while the Ferme Pédagogique du Moulin du Bois in Chartres-de-Bretagne can organise birthday parties on Wednesday afternoons centred around farm activities followed by crêpe eating. The 18-hole golf course at the Domaine de Cicé Blossac will keep putters of all ages happy.

Did you know?

Some people say that Pont-Réan derives its name from the Celtic world ‘ran’, which means ‘frog’, therefore ‘frog bridge’.