Long traverse Brittany
Less busy than the GR34, the GR39 runs down from the Couesnon to the Vilaine and then to the Brière marshes, passing through the heart of Rennes, Saint-Just and Redon.
From Le Mont-Saint-Michel to Herbignac, over 316 km.
The GR39 crosses Upper Brittany from north to south. It leaves Mont-Saint-Michel, reaches Pontorson and then the Couesnon valley as far as Antrain, joins Rennes and then largely follows the Vilaine valley to Redon and La Roche-Bernard. Along the way, it passes through the Manche, Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique. The FFRandonnée presents it as the path from Mont-Saint-Michel to Guérande; on the ground, it ends at Herbignac, at the hamlet of le Mintré, on the edge of the Brière marshes, where it meets the GR3 and the GR de Pays Tour de Brière.
Between Antrain and Rennes, the path follows the steep, wooded banks of the Couesnon and crosses the state forests of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier and Rennes, with their tall beech stands, in granite country. In Rennes, it makes a foray of about 13 km into the city, from the Parc des Gayeulles to the Parc de Bréquigny, via the Prairies Saint-Martin and the half-timbered houses of the Place Sainte-Anne. Further south, it rejoins the Vilaine near Laillé and Bourg-des-Comptes, then comes the megalithic site and moors of Saint-Just, the Pont du Grand Pas at Sainte-Marie and the towpath at Redon, where the Vilaine meets the Nantes–Brest canal.
After Redon come Saint-Jean-la-Poterie, Rieux and the ruins of its castle, Béganne and La Roche-Bernard, before the crossing of the Vilaine and the approach to the marshes. The terrain stays gentle, and the Pays de Redon tourist office considers the route suitable for hikers of all levels. Linked to the railway around Rennes, the GR39 lends itself to a first long-distance walk as well as to day outings.
Le Mont-Saint-Michel
Pontorson – Mont-Saint-Michel station, about 9 km from the Mont, is linked to the site by a bus that stops a few hundred meters from the entrance to the village. A Keolis coach also links Rennes station to the Mont every day.
Herbignac
The GR39 ends outside the center of Herbignac, which the Lila network coaches (Cap Atlantique) link to Saint-Lyphard, Guérande and Saint-Nazaire station; the network changes in December 2026, so check the lines. You can also continue on the GR3 to Guérande and on to La Baule-Escoublac station.
The GR39 can be walked all year round. In winter, riverside sections may be flooded: the Ille-et-Vilaine FFRandonnée committee advises checking Vigicrues before setting off. In summer, the prefecture may ban access to woods and moorland when there is a fire risk, as in August 2026.
Moderate
Gentle terrain and paths with no technical difficulty: the Rennes basin is almost flat and the ground becomes hillier towards the Couesnon valley. The length of the traverse calls above all for stamina.
3 gîtes, 6 unstaffed huts, 1 youth hostel, and 12 B&Bs
Hotels, B&Bs, gîtes and campgrounds can be found in Pontorson, Rennes, Redon and the small towns of the Vilaine valley. In Rennes, a youth hostel stands near the Canal Saint-Martin, very close to the route; the Pays de Redon tourist office also mentions a municipal campground in Rieux. Book your nights in advance, especially in summer.
Since the fire of August 2026, the departmental natural area of the Saint-Just megaliths and moors has been closed to the public and the GR39 is diverted there, with no end date announced. Elsewhere, camping is only allowed with the consent of whoever has the use of the land (Urban Planning Code, article R111-32); when there is a fire risk, prefectoral orders may close woods and moorland.
The Ille-et-Vilaine FFRandonnée committee publishes trail alerts online (diversions, works, floods): check them before each stage. Around Rennes, the TER stations of Laillé and Guichen – Bourg-des-Comptes give access to the route, and the metro reaches it at Place Sainte-Anne. On the rural sections, find out which shops are open and set off with water for the day.
TrekGR stage plan: each stage ends where you can sleep. Actual walking time excluding breaks (DIN 33466 standard).
| Stage | Route | Distance | Ascent | Descent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Mont-Saint-Michel → La Fontenelle | 34.4 km | 160 m | 80 m |
| 2 | La Fontenelle → Les Granges | 20.4 km | 210 m | 230 m |
| 3 | Les Granges → Ercé-près-Liffré | 21.1 km | 210 m | 220 m |
| 4 | Ercé-près-Liffré → Maison-Blanche | 23 km | 100 m | 110 m |
| 5 | Maison-Blanche → La Bobinais | 26.1 km | 30 m | 50 m |
| 6 | La Bobinais → Saint-Senoux | 26.3 km | 350 m | 320 m |
| 7 | Saint-Senoux → Guipry | 24.3 km | 330 m | 370 m |
| 8 | Guipry → La Pichonnais | 26.8 km | 260 m | 200 m |
| 9 | La Pichonnais → Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon | 30.2 km | 250 m | 310 m |
| 10 | Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon → Le Bot d'en Bas | 19.1 km | 120 m | 110 m |
| 11 | Le Bot d'en Bas → La Butte | 18.9 km | 190 m | 190 m |
| 12 | La Butte → La Roche-Bernard | 21.8 km | 300 m | 300 m |
| 13 | La Roche-Bernard → Herbignac | 24.1 km | 130 m | 130 m |
97 places to stay near the route, from refuges to campgrounds.
No current alerts for this GR (checked on November 12, 2026). All live updates →
The FFRandonnée presents the GR39 as linking Mont-Saint-Michel to Guérande. On the ground, it ends at Herbignac, at le Mintré, on the edge of the Brière marshes, where it meets the GR3 and the GR de Pays Tour de Brière (MonGR). The GR3 then leads to Guérande and on to La Baule.
Yes. The path makes a foray of about 13 km into the city, between the Parc des Gayeulles to the north and the Parc de Bréquigny to the south, via the Prairies Saint-Martin and the Place Sainte-Anne (FFRandonnée). You can join the route in the city center by metro.
The Saint-Just megaliths and moors site has been closed to the public since the fire of August 2026. The GR39 is diverted between the village sports ground and the hamlet of le Vieux-Bourg (alert from the Ille-et-Vilaine FFRandonnée committee, September 30, 2026). No reopening date has been announced by the département.
By train to Pontorson – Mont-Saint-Michel station, then by bus to the Mont. A Keolis coach also links Rennes station to the Mont every day (Mont-Saint-Michel tourist office).
MonGR describes the section from Rennes to Antrain, through the state forests and the Couesnon valley. The FFRandonnée suggests Laillé to Thorigné-Fouillard via the center of Rennes, starting from TER stations. The Pays de Redon tourist office details the sections from Saint-Ganton to Redon and from Redon to Béganne.
Camping is allowed away from public roads, with the consent of whoever has the use of the land (article R111-32 of the Urban Planning Code), unless banned locally. The Saint-Just megaliths and moors natural area has been closed since the 2026 fire; the simplest option is to ask the landowner for permission or to sleep at a campground.
Route: OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: IGN’s RGE ALTI®, one point every 50 m. Text checked on November 12, 2026.
