Saint-Aubin-Des-Châteaux: Hiking and Heritage

Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux offers a range of options for a stay: walks through a rural landscape and traces of architectural and prehistoric history. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus more on routes and landscapes or on individual historic buildings and monuments. The hiking trails, the Chapelle des Templiers and the Menhir des Louères each offer a different experience.

Hiking trails through varied landscapes

Both hiking trails start at Plan d’eau du Bas du Tertre. “Étangs et Calvaires” is 15 kilometres long and passes through forests, by ponds and along sunken lanes to Étang de la Hunaudière, where there is a small opportunity for birdwatching. “Les Coteaux de la Chère” is 8.5 kilometres long. The route follows sunken lanes along the Chère through a hilly rural landscape. It is 6.5 kilometres shorter than “Étangs et Calvaires”; the landscapes described also differ: here, the Chère and the hilly terrain shape the route, while there, forests, ponds and the birdwatching opportunity at Étang de la Hunaudière are the main features. You can therefore choose a route based on its length and the landscape you prefer. Check the latest trail information before setting out, as it may be updated.

A chapel and menhir as traces of history

The Chapelle des Templiers is an old chapel that was converted into the church of the Templar commandery in the 12th century. This former function connects the building with the history of the Knights Templar. Its architecture also has distinctive features: the wooden roof structure was worked entirely with an axe. Inside, two sloping wall surfaces give the space its distinctive architectural character. At the chapel, the craftsmanship of the roof structure and the striking form of the interior stand side by side.

The Menhir des Louères has been classified as a historic monument since 1928. It is a Neolithic-style menhir and now stands in isolation; it was probably once part of a row of stones. Its current solitary position and its presumed former grouping are two distinct aspects: one describes its present location, the other a possible earlier arrangement. Together with its protected status, these features give the monument its own historical and archaeological context.

Practical information

The Aire de stationnement Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux is at the end of a path by a pond at the foot of the village and near shops. If you plan to use this car park, check the local information about access and conditions before your visit, as these may change.

Discover more destinations: Missillac, La Haie-Fouassière, La Cotinière, Saint-Colomban, Le Pallet, Port-Saint-Père, Fégréac, Vigneux-De-Bretagne

For the regional travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.