CHEMIN DES CARRIS

Before you know it, you’re crossing the old Migron branch of the Loire. You’ll need a lot of imagination to think that the boats that made Nantes so rich passed through here. Near the village of La Roche and the Quai Vert de Frossay, a footbridge takes you across the Canal de la Martinière. After a few minutes’ walk, we arrive at our destination: the Loire. This is where people used to cross the river to get to Cordemais. Straddling the communes of Frossay and Le Pellerin, on the island of La Maréchale, the Chemin des Carris runs for around 2.5 km through a protected natural site. Its characteristic low walls line the route. Having recently undergone heritage enhancement work, this ecotourism trail is now a great place to take a stroll or cycle, discovering a landscape made up of ancient islands and former arms of the Loire that are home to the estuary’s remarkable biodiversity, as well as a superb panorama over the Loire and the north bank of Cordemais. The belvedere Built in stone, in the place of and in the historic style of the old Carris house, this new observatory allows visitors to discover and observe the fauna and flora of the reed beds, wet meadows and hedgerows. Depending on the season, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a bluethroat, a spring wagtail, a red-backed shrike, an egret or a swan, among the many birds that thrive on the former ‘île de la Maréchale’. The belvedere is also home to a long enamelled lava fresco explaining the history of the estuary landscape from north to south. The lookout is part of a trail running from the north of the Loire to the south, allowing visitors to observe the interaction between the Loire, the landscape, people and biodiversity at various points.