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The Corsaires Cruise
Messac <=> Dinan
Follow the peaceful River Vilaine, stopping en route to visit the pretty town of Rennes, the capital of Brittany. Dinan is a perfect example of a medieval town on the banks of the River Rance. Its castle and 13th century ramparts are best viewed from the water. Plenty of opportunities exist along your route for on-shore fun; tennis and horse-riding at Betton, swimming at Lehon’s open air swimming pool and picnics on the lake at Combourg.
- Distance: 127 km
- Cruising Time: 30 hrs
- Locks: 57
- One Way - Either Direction
Messac <=> Dinan
Dinan
Dinan is widely acknowledged as one of the most picturesque towns in Brittany and the old town is a maze of narrow cobblestone streets and old medieval timbered buildings. Three streets are especially worth seeing: the steep Rue du Jerzual which links the port with the old town, the Place des Cordeliers and Place des Merciers. There are some nice little restaurants along the wharf and very pleasant walks alongside the river Rance. There are great views of the port and the huge viaduct from the Jardin Anglais.
Lehon
Lehon has recently been awarded the status of ‘Petit cite de Caractere’ which means it is in the top 30 most beautiful locations in Brittany. The single street leading from the ruined castle on the hill down to a little hump backed bridge over the river passes the abbey church on the way. The street is pedestrianised and the stone cottages which line it are full of flowers throughout the summer. There is a heated outdoor swimming pool here and a traditional boulangerie at the top of the village, making this an ideal place for an overnight, or longer, stay.
Evran
The attractive small town of Evran offers good moorings together with a good range of shops and services, inlcuding a bank , a pharmacy and a small supermarket
St Domineuc
an agreeable Halte Nautique with all services and shops and a convenient mooring for visiting the nearby Parc Zoologique et Château de la Bourbansais. Although the village primarily developed towards the end of the 19th century, it dates from Napoleonic times and the majority of the buildings are situated along la rue Nationale, which is the ancient route between Rennes and Saint-Malo. Alongside the moorings, an area has been landscaped for walking and jogging. There is also an area set aside for games of petanque
Tinteniac
There is a good mooring here and the the village has a good range of shops and services. There are some pretty 15th and 16th century houses and a market on Wednesdays.
Montreuil Sur Ille
A small town situated alongside the river with direct access to the railway system. There is also a cycle path running close by for exploring the area. The supermarket is some distance from the mooring, at the top end of the village.
St Germain Sur Ille
This is a relaxing place for an overnight stop and although there isn’t much here, it is a popular fishing place and has many pleasant walking areas. The little town itself is about 1km away and there are good views over the valley from the promontory close to the post office
Betton
An important town in Roman times, the town became christiansed very early towards AD 470 by gallo-roman missionaries who built a monastary here and some evidence of it still remains. The early church on the site was burnt down in 1590. The monks transferred to the chapel in the priory of the Abbey of Melaine, just several metres north of the original church. The town is very proud to have recently received it's third flower - recognition of the beautiful floral decorations and flower borders within the town. The railway lines runs close to the town making it a convenient stop if sightseeing further afield using the train. There is a supermarket here and the town also has a childrens playground
Rennes
Rennes is the regional capital of Brittany and is rich in architecture, with examples dating from the 16th century to the present day. It has a very pleasant old quarter where you will find a massive Saturday market which is claimed to be one of the largest in France. For serious shoppers, Rennes offers many boutiques alongside large stores, including Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, Hermès, Max Mara and Hugo Boss.
