Riaillé: Nature and the History of Blacksmithing

Riaillé combines a hilly landscape with waterways and traces of its blacksmithing history. When looking for a hotel, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: trails around Étang de la Provostière and birdwatching, the Erdre, or the historic heritage of the smithies? These destinations appeal to different interests and offer concrete starting points for planning your trip. The themes range from a natural area with a circular trail and birdwatching, to a river activity at the Lavoir, to the surviving traces of the smithies.

Nature at Étang de la Provostière

Étang de la Provostière covers 75 hectares, is a remarkable natural area and forms part of an ecological complex classified as Natura 2000. A walking trail circles the pond and is used by walkers and anglers. At the start of the loop, there is a car park, picnic tables and restroom facilities. An ornithological observation station at the Étang allows visitors to watch numerous birds. Species include the common kingfisher, black-headed gull, herring gull, cormorant, great crested grebe, grey heron, great egret and common moorhen.

Landscape between forest and the Erdre

Riaillé lies in hilly surroundings with around 1,000 hectares of forest. The banks of the Erdre stretch for around ten kilometres in Riaillé. This broadens the range of landscapes beyond the Étang: the forest and riverbanks offer distinct nature experiences of their own.

On the Erdre at the Lavoir

There are picnic facilities at the Lavoir and a footbridge over the Erdre. From there, you can paddle on the river using self-service kayaks; reservations are made through an app. Check the reservation method before travelling. This is a different activity from the one at Étang de la Provostière: there, a circular trail goes around the water and is used by walkers and anglers; at the Lavoir, the focus is on paddling on the Erdre.

Traces of Riaillé’s smithies

A notable connection to industrial history is the blast furnace at La Poitevinière. It belonged to the Riaillé smithy and has been listed as a historic monument since 1 April 1986. Blacksmithing at the site dates back to the 15th century; it is extensively documented for the 17th and 18th centuries. The history of blacksmithing here therefore began well before the blast furnace was listed as a monument. Étang de la Provostière is also a surviving element of Riaillé’s smithies. Nature and local industrial history thus come together at the same body of water.

A walking trail passes the remains of a blast furnace chimney.

Architectural details

The church also features three large rose windows and a carved wooden pulpit. Rose windows are circular window designs, while the pulpit is a carved wooden feature of the church’s interior. These characteristics draw attention to two distinct aspects of church architecture: window design and woodwork.

Discover more destinations: Anetz, Blain, Saint-Mars-Du-Désert, Vue, Gétigné, Saint-Vincent-Des-Landes, Les Moutiers-En-Retz, Saint-Lyphard.

For the broader travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.