Glomel can be explored through two defining features: water and its wetlands, and the heritage of the Canal de Nantes à Brest. At Étang du Korong, a large expanse of water and an easy circular route take centre stage; at the Grande Tranchée, the scale of the canal meets a distinctive location on the watershed. Other highlights include the protected natural area of Lan Bern, a flight of locks, and architectural and megalithic remains. When planning your day, the choice of route is particularly helpful: the routes described range from 2 to 11 kilometres and offer different points of interest.

Nature and walking trails around Glomel

Étang du Korong is a 75-hectare body of water. Its circular route is 6 kilometres long, rated easy, and has no significant inclines. If you are looking for a nature outing with a clearly specified distance, this is a practical option. During bird migration, the Étang also serves as a resting place for waterbirds. This makes it particularly interesting for anyone interested in migratory birds and their stopover sites.

The Réserve Naturelle Régionale de Glomel covers 108 hectares of peatland heaths, wetlands and moors. Lan Bern is a plateau of more than 80 hectares, with wet heaths, meadows and peatlands beside the Canal de Nantes à Brest near Glomel. These different landscape descriptions show that the natural attractions are not limited to the body of water.

At Lan Bern, there is a flat, sand-surfaced, 2-kilometre accessible route for families and people with reduced mobility. An 11-kilometre route crosses the entire Lan Bern nature reserve and leads to the Grande Tranchée on the canal. The two Lan Bern routes differ significantly in length; the longer route also includes the canal as a destination. Together with the 6-kilometre circular route at Étang du Korong, they offer a choice of shorter and longer distances to suit the amount of time you plan to spend out for the day.

The Canal de Nantes à Brest and cultural heritage

Between Paule and Glomel, the flight of locks on the Canal de Nantes à Brest comprises 15 locks over a distance of 4 kilometres. Their sequence makes this stretch of canal a distinctive heritage feature. You can also travel along it: the flight of locks can be descended in a canoe raft using the installed slides. Check before your trip whether this activity is available.

The Grande Tranchée des Bagnards is more than 3 kilometres long, 100 metres wide and 23 metres deep. At an elevation of 184 metres, it marks the highest point on the Canal de Nantes à Brest and the watershed between the Blavet and Aulne river basins. A watershed separates areas from which water flows into different rivers. This place therefore combines impressive engineering dimensions with a geographical distinction.

The Circuit de la Grande Tranchée is suitable for trail running, mountain biking, running and walking. Unlike the easy circular route at Étang du Korong, the focus here is on the range of activities available, rather than on a specified route length or incline. This helps you choose between a circuit with a clearly described route profile and a trail that accommodates several types of activity.

Church architecture and megaliths

The Église Saint-Corentin in Trégornan dates from the 15th century. Its nave was built in the mid-16th century; the south portal and transept followed in the second half of the century. The sacristy dates to 1627, and the bell tower to the late 17th or early 18th century. The building’s chronology therefore spans several centuries. The church’s artworks also include an altarpiece with works by Simone Le Moigne.

The Menhir de Park Menhir represents a different era: this 8.60-metre-high Neolithic megalith is made of granite from Rostrenen and has been classified as a Monument historique since 1975. The church and menhir thus offer two different ways to explore Glomel’s cultural heritage: the successive stages in the construction of a place of worship and a prehistoric stone monument.

Discover more destinations: Plessix-Balisson, Saint-Carreuc, Plancoet, La Landec, Boqueho, Langast, Saint Mayeux, Trévou-Tréguignec.

For the wider travel overview: Côtes-D’armor.