Distance : 20 KM
Time : 5 h 00

Starting point :
Quai Carnot - Port-Joinville.

Sights :
1. Port-Joinville
2. La Côte Nord-Est
3. La Pointe des Corbeaux
4. Plage et Port des Vieilles
5. Anse des Soux
6. Plage des Fontaines
7. Pointe de la Tranche
8. Pierre Tremblante
9. Chapelle et Port de la Meule
10. Village de St-Sauveur et son église

LEVANT TRAIL

 

 

 Description :

At the starting point, walk along the quays up to the Mairie (the town hall). At the little roundabout, turn left towards the harbour station. At the second roundabout, continue straight ahead leaving behind the harbour and walk along the east coast. The path leads to a beach Ker Chalon , a large family beach deeply appreciated by the islanders. Follow along the beach and continue on the beach la Pipe up to the Yacht club. Walk along the beach les Sapins and le Marais Salé . Picturesque white-painted fishermen huts border these beaches. The path then leads to the largest beach of the island : Les conches. This beach can be divided in three parts : la Petite Conche, les Ovaires, la Grande Conche .

Turn back to the chapel and take the path going towards St Sauveur . Walk about 1.2 km to enter the village of St Sauveur and get to the church (11 th / 12 th century). Continue on the main street Rue du général Leclerc . Take the first street on your right Rue Richelieu then Rue des sapins . Downhill, turn left Chemin du Puits des suissses and follow the bicycle path for 1 km up to the laboratory LEBIM. Get down to the beach Ker Chalon and go back by the same trail when starting your walk. You'll be back at Port Joinville.

NORTH-EAST COST
Marshes with numerous protected species border the coast inwards while pine and cupressus woods and other trees line the sea shore. This east coast resembles the coastline of Pays de Monts on the mainland Around 1850, some plantings were done by state authorities (Les Ponts et Chaussées), near Pointe Gauthier. In1860, another state authority (Génie Militaire) continued these plantings around the little coastal redoubts. But, it's really between the two World Wars, that the municipalities did the most reforestation with a great work done around the dunes.
ST SAUVEUR
Former capital of the island, and sole parish in the island until the 19 th century, St Sauveur is now a cute village, with charming tiny white streets, lovely place for strolling. Poitevin style houses are generally low and regularly lime washed. Roofs are built with roman tiles set in a bed of mortar in order to resist to the wind. A Romanesque church in the heart of the village looks over proudly. It's most ancient parts go back to the 11 th century.

Other trails

Itinéraire jaune Itinéraire rouge

All these beaches will lead you finally to a headland, la Pointe des Corbeaux . A gorgeous little creek nestles there. Follow the path that will lead you to the lighthouse. You will then have a magnificent view over the south west coast. This headland is a transition between shoreline and dunes and the wild coast. You'll now find a totally new landscape : rocky and scarped. Follow the coastal path for about 1.5 km to the very appreciated beach Les Vieilles . Further off, you'll see the tiny little harbour Port des Vieilles with a couple of fishing boats. Continue along the coastal path leading to anse des soux (cove) then to the headland la pointe de la Tranche (nice view). After, there'll be the cove anse des Fontaines . A few meters away, on the main plateau, there are, here and there, traces of a former village decimated by plague. Continue along the coast up to the charming white chapel of la Meule (11 th century) which towers above the harbour. A path leads you to this natural haven.

LE PORT DE LA MEULE
The gem of the island is undeniably this small harbour, a sort of fjord set in between two moor-covered cliffs : beautiful and breathtaking. It was originally only a creek where, during south-west storms, swirling water would crash violently against the shore. During the 19th century, a dam was set up and brought back calm and security.
Behind, a small white chapel, dedicated to Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle, patroness of the seamen, looks over the sea. It was built during the 11th century and since then, the islanders have held the chapel in constant veneration. It's a place of pilgrimage and every year, islanders go there on Easter Monday.