Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine is a significant natural area in Ille-et-Vilaine, France, centered around a large freshwater lake. This region features wooded paths and diverse landscapes, making it a notable destination for outdoor activities. The area is recognized for its ecological importance, particularly for birdlife, and offers opportunities for several sports like hiking, mountain biking, road cycling, touring cycling, and more.
Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine provides a variety of outdoor activities for different skill levels. With more than 10 routes available, the region caters to hikers, mountain bikers, and cyclists. Over 14,000 visitors have explored the area, contributing to an average rating of 4.48 out of 5 stars for its routes. Hikers can find trails that loop around the lake, including options for Easy hikes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine, while mountain bikers can navigate technical courses and longer routes through forests. Road and touring cyclists can explore broader networks, including traffic-free options detailed in guides like Traffic-free bike rides around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine.
90
Routes
4.5
(195)
Average rating
1515
People visited

4.6
(34)
216
hikers
8.72km
02:15
50m
50m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(13)
114
hikers
7.17km
01:53
60m
60m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.6
(14)
91
hikers
20.4km
05:21
170m
170m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(3)
30
hikers
4.04km
01:06
60m
60m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.8
(6)
61
riders
73.3km
05:44
760m
760m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.

4.2
(10)
24
riders
55.6km
04:06
610m
620m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

5.0
(2)
19
riders
39.4km
03:01
380m
380m
Hard mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.

3.0
(2)
16
riders
46.2km
03:37
570m
570m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
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37
riders
115km
05:10
860m
860m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

31
riders
47.9km
02:14
500m
500m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

36
riders
13.9km
00:44
170m
170m
Easy road ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

10
riders
52.6km
02:18
400m
400m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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5.0
(1)
36
runners
14.4km
01:33
150m
150m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

14
runners
4.64km
00:30
80m
80m
Easy run. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

3
runners
14.2km
01:31
160m
160m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

3
runners
10.0km
01:03
60m
60m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.6
(20)
36
riders
71.4km
03:43
380m
380m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(2)
10
riders
20.8km
01:10
160m
160m
Hard gravel ride. Good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

4.5
(2)
9
riders
106km
05:33
560m
560m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(2)
6
riders
26.0km
01:34
200m
200m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(5)
22
riders
72.2km
04:40
480m
480m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

25
riders
14.6km
00:57
170m
170m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(3)
23
riders
26.3km
01:58
200m
200m
Hard bike ride. Good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

17
riders
50.1km
03:20
600m
600m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine is a large freshwater lake in Ille-et-Vilaine, France, covering 155 hectares. It was created in 1982 primarily for flood control and maintaining water levels in the Vilaine river. The surrounding area functions as a leisure base for various outdoor activities.
Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine offers a range of outdoor activities including Hiking, Mountain biking, Road cycling, Touring cycling, Jogging, and Gravel biking. The area features numerous trails and facilities catering to different sports. More than 10 routes are available for exploration.
Yes, the area features numerous hiking trails. A popular circuit of 9 miles (14.5 km) loops around the lake, which can be divided into two 4.5-mile (7.2 km) routes thanks to a pedestrian bridge. Other marked options include 4.3-mile (7 km) and 8.7-mile (14 km) trails, and the GR34 long-distance trail connects to the lake. Find more details in the Hiking around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine guide.
Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine is equipped for mountain biking, offering an initiation circuit and a more technical course with modules. The 9-mile (14.5 km) loop around the lake is also suitable for mountain biking, though some sections present technical challenges. Longer routes like the "Vitreous buffalo breeding loop from Bourgon" (27.5 miles / 44.2 km) are also available. Explore options in the MTB Trails around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine guide.
The region integrates into broader cycling networks, suitable for road and touring cyclists. The Véloroute Départementale 6 (VD6) is a 77-mile (125 km) route passing through the Vilaine valley. The "Tour des Portes de Bretagne à vélo, Vitré et son bocage" is a 60-mile (96 km) circuit linking four lakes, including Haute Vilaine. Consult the Road Cycling Routes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine guide for more information.
Yes, Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine offers easy hiking options. The 9-mile (14.5 km) lake loop can be split into two 4.5-mile (7.2 km) sections, providing shorter, more manageable walks. These trails often traverse wooded areas with varied landscapes. For specific routes, refer to the Easy hikes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine guide.
Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine is designed as a comprehensive leisure hub, catering to families. It provides well-maintained facilities such as picnic areas, playgrounds, multi-sport fields, and outdoor fitness equipment. There are also specific Family-friendly hikes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine available.
The main feature is the 155-hectare lake itself, surrounded by wooded paths and diverse landscapes. The area is classified as a ZNIEFF due to its rich biodiversity, especially for birds, with an ornithological observatory available. A 344-foot (105-meter) long footbridge offers views of the lake, and the 15th-century fortified Château des Nétumières provides a picturesque viewpoint.
Specific hiking routes are accessible from bus stations around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine. These routes allow visitors to reach trailheads without private vehicles. Details on these options can be found in the Hikes from bus stations around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine guide.
Routes at Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine are popular among komoot users. The region has more than 14,000 visitors and its routes have an average rating of 4.48 out of 5 stars from over 1,700 ratings. There are 13 total routes available across various sports.
Komoot offers several guides for the region, including Hiking around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine, Family-friendly hikes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine, Easy hikes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine, MTB Trails around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine, and Road Cycling Routes around Plan d'eau de la Haute Vilaine. Guides for cycling, running, and traffic-free bike rides are also available.
For general inquiries, the official website is www.vitrecommunaute.org. Contact numbers include Vitré Communauté at 02 99 74 52 61, Commune de Saint-M'Hervé at +33 2 99 76 70 01, and Base de Loisirs de la Haute Vilaine at 02 99 49 64 64.

